Tears for Fire
by Miyame-Faith
Summary: Heartbroken Rei has been swept away from the Sailor Scouts because of the love she shared with Jaedite. But when a terrible horror creeps into Tokyo, Rei must let go of the tears and the memories and fight with her tainted heart, again.
1. Prologue

> Rei opened her violet eyes slowly and shaded her brow from the harsh sunlight of the new morning. She sat up, rubbed her eyes with her creamy white hands, and looked over at the sleeping boy next to her. "Jaedite," she said in a whisper and reached over to kiss his cheek. He only smiled and twitched a bit, so Rei slowly got out of bed, reached around for her slippers, and left the bedroom.  
  
She walked gently down the hallway of the apartment and made her way to the bathroom; her raven colored hair blew in back of her like a cape. "I wonder what time it is..." she said in a mumble when she reached the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She didn't need to turn on the light, for the sunlight from the window was just enough to light the room and turn the air into a hazy cream color. Rei dropped her night gown and stepped into the shower.  
  
"It seems like forever...since I've last seen the girls," she said louder than the first. The water from the shower pounded on her, so she turned it down. "I don't even remember the last time I fought." She leaned up in the shower and didn't pay attention to door as it creeked open. "That dream, was so weird."  
  
She let out a sigh and remembered exactly what happened five years ago...  
  
_Flashback..._
> 
> "Yes! I love him! What's the big deal?!" Rei yelled as she stomped out of the temple shrine, away from the group of bickering girls and also, Yuuichirou.  
  
"The 'big deal' is that Jaedite is no good! He isn't the man you love! You only love him because he treats you like royality!" Yuuichirou screamed back at her and cut her off. Rei stopped and stared at him as tears ran down her cheeks, onto her kimono.  
  
"You don't know what I feel about him. None of you do! Did you all decide on this or something?! Are you all just trying to turn me against Jed?! Well too bad, because I love him and will stay by his side when he needs me!"  
  
"You don't know what love is, Rei!" Usagi said back, clinging onto Mamoru's arm.  
  
Rei turned around swiftly, the tears seemed to spin around also. "Mamoru, what do you think? Do you think that Jaedite will betray me?" He didn't answer, just bowed his head, so Rei screamed louder. "MAMORU!"  
  
"Rei, maybe you should wait and see..." Ami said loudly, but it seemed almost gentle compared to the way the rest of them yelled.  
  
"Even Ami is against me and Jed!" Rei replied as she put her hands on her head. "I don't want to have anything to do with any of you anymore! You're supposed to be my friends! Rei stomped off, her face red with anger, as she ran down the temple stairs. The girls yelled her name and Yuuichirou ran after her, screaming, but the horizon only echoed...  
  
_End Flashback..._

> At this point, Rei covered her face in her hands as the tears ran down her rosy cheeks. "The temple... I just left everything behind. Grandpa must have been worried about me..." she managed to say between the gulps of air she took as she continued to cry. "And I left my transformation pen behind.."  
  
Now, Rei could feel someone grab her arms gently from behind and remove them from her face. Then wrapped their arms around her waist and rested their chin on her shoulder. "Good morning, Rei," the person said with a gently voice. Rei noticed it to be Jed's.  
  
"Jed? What are you doing?" she asked, looking over on her shoulder as the water still pounded on her naked body.  
  
"I should be asking you that. Why are you crying?"  
  
Feeling Jed's gently squeeze, Rei's heart raced. This is the first time he actually snuck into the shower with her. Too bad it was because she was upset and not out of romance. "I was thinking of the day... I left the temple."  
  
"Because the girls didn't like me, right?" Rei nodded. "Well," he began in a sigh, "you are here with me now. We are adults and living on our own, running our own lives. Yes, you did love your friends and being a sailor scout drove you, but sometimes you have to let go. Follow what your heart tells you. It was a shame to hear all your friends oppose a person you care about deeply and call your emotions nothing more than a crush. Maybe just because they never experienced this type of love. There are many types, and if someone doesn't experience one, they don't know how it feels."  
  
"That's what I told them," Rei said starting to cry, "but they only judged you and picked the bad parts of you, turning you inside out. That isn't right..."  
  
"I know Rei, I know," he said, closing his eyes and giving her waist a squeeze. They stayed silent for a while, you can only hear the pounding of the water. Rei bent over and flipped the switch to the drain and the water began to fill the tub. She was forced down gently by Jaedite who closed the blinds, leaving the room dark. She only remembered the last time she saw the girls, Jadeite's words, and closed her eyes as Jed rushed down next to her. The water swayed a few times until she finally felt Jed kiss her neck, then rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"The worst thing in the world," Rei thought as she put her hands on Jed's chest, "is to have the two people you care about most hate each other..."


	2. Sorrow

_So, how did you all like the Prologue? Well, now that you have a basic idea of what is happening, let's continue with the story. Reviews are welcome! Enjoy the first chapter!_ :D

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Rei looked around, and saw only darkness. She breathed in an icy old breath and scanned the darkened hallways. "Hello? Is anyone there? Scouts? Yuuichirou?" She paced, left then right, not afraid of running into anything. Her hair seemed invisible; it matched the colors around her, and her eyes widened with tears. "Where is everyone?"  
  
She suddenly stopped when she saw her transformation pen floating in midair ahead of her; the planet shaped emblem seemed to spin around with sparks of fire. She ran, with her hand reaching out, as the pen seemed to move farther and farther away. Tears jumped to her eyes and she sobbed. "Mars Crystal Power!"  
  
At the sound of the call, the pen broke and hovered shattered in the air. Rei's eyes went black as she fell back, the dark floor supporting her lightly began to shatter... 

  
  
Rei woke in her bed, gasping, as she shot up straight. Her heart pounded like a drum against her skin and her hair fell down in front of her. "Jaedite-" she stopped, as she flipped over the covers and saw her lover was not there, sound asleep. She looked around, forgetting her dream for a slight second. "What time is it?"  
  
Without bothering to get up, Jaedite walked into the room with his jeans on. "Oh, so you're finally up." He leaned against the wall on the bedroom door with his arms folded. "You fell asleep again this morning while we were in the tub."  
  
She leaned up, not bothering to fix her hair. Jaedite's looked just a bad, but the glance in his eyes made him look perfectly capible of murder, so Rei felt uneasy. "What?"  
  
"This morning. About four hours ago. You went to take a shower and I joined you. You fell asleep beside me, don't you remember?"  
  
"No.."   
  
He smiled, and his false innocence disappeared. "You went on and on about missing the sailor team and Yuuichirou. I bet you didn't even notice me kissing your neck." He grinned a teasing smile.  
  
Rei didn't change expression, but tightened up inside and could feel the heat rising her body. "Can you refresh my memory?"  
  
Jaedite stared. His eyes grew colder, or so they looked to Rei. Then he walked over slowly, took Rei by the hand, and helped her up out of bed. He grabbed her by the shoulders, kissed her lips gently and lost contact by an inch. Staring in her eyes, he said, "You should eat something." Then he turned and walked out, leaving Rei with visions of his blue eyes.

Rei sat at the table, twirling her spoon around in the hot tea and her chin resting on her other hand. "I just miss them, that's all..." Rei explained to Jaedite who was sitting across from her, sipping his own cup of coffee. "We did everything together. We never had such a huge fight over love. I don't understand why they would turn their back on me."  
  
"Do you think it has to do with the invasion with Beryl centuries ago?" Jaedite asked. "Because if they are still angry at me for fighting against the team, I already explained that it wasn't my fault. Beryl had us all under her spell, and that bitch Usagi knows it, because even Mamoru was held captive!" He stood up and rammed his fist on the wooden table.  
  
Rei backed away. "Jaedite, it's alright. Don't get upset. I was just thinking-"  
  
"And Usagi even SAW Beryl turn him against her. She FOUGHT against him! Didn't see realize how much she cared?! Why is that so different from the two of us!" He was angry now, standing up with his muscles tightening. She stared at the frenzied Jaedite, who had given up on emotions and rammed his fist into the wall. "Damn it all..." He stomped out of the kitchen and down the hallway.   
  
Rei sighed and hung her head. It was true. The scouts still judged her gentle lover as the man who tried to kill them years ago. They never took the time to realize the caring man behind the mask that Rei fell in love with. As a matter of fact, every time Rei mentioned Jaedite, the girls would moan and give Rei the same 'he isn't your true love' speech. Rei always seemed disturbed to know Usagi, the one who fell for many other guys, said that she didn't know what true love was. Was it because she had Mamoru? Or maybe because she thinks she knows everything about love because she is the Goddess of the Moon? Rei didn't want to think anymore. She got up, grabbed her purse, and left.  
  
Rei stood in front of the Hikawa Temple stairs with her purse dangling beside her. Her hair blew to her left a couple of times, then seemed to switch direction as she tightened up with anger. She remembered stomping away from the group and rushing down the street to Jaedite's apartment, hoping to stay there forever. That was five years ago, and now, she seemed frightened.  
  
She took one step up the stairs and waited. No one seemed to rush up and down anymore. No people seemed to roam that street. Busting with curiousity, she rushed up the steps in hopes of finding something, or someone, she left behind.  
  
The shrine was empty; Phobos and Deimos were not flying about to greet their princess. The leaves from two seasons ago were still left on the ground, unraked. Rei's eyes widened as she rushed into the doors of the temple. "Grandpa? Grandpa, are you home?"   
  
She raced down the hallways. It was empty of possesions. No fire in the chamber, no kimonos in the closets, no clothes. No food. No people. She ran to her room. No bed, no blankets, nothing. The only thing remaining was the vase of Casablancas that mysteriously was left in a clear box by the window. They seemed full of life and beauty.  
  
"Where is everyone?" she asked herself as she sat helplessly on the shrine stairs. "Where did everyone go!"  
  
"Everything left, when you did, Rei."  
  
Rei looked up through her tears and impatiently brushed them away. "Ami?"  
  
Ami, who's hair was no her shoulders now, still aqua blue, stood up in front of her. She grew taller, but she still had those eyes of innocence and intelligence. They looked painful, though, like she cried every night at the lose of her friend. They seemed like ice. "Rei, you finally came back?"  
  
Rei didn't answer, just sniffed and tried to rub out the redness in her eyes.  
  
"I haven't seen you in years. I can't believe you actually ran away with Jaedi-"  
  
"That's what you do when you love people..."  
  
"And leave your team behind in the dust and have you grandfather die of pain?" Ami added with her hands on her hips.  
  
"What?!" Rei asked, standing up now. "What did you say about Grandpa?"  
  
Ami stared at Rei for a good while. Her eyes widened and the wind blew a couple of times before she finally chose to speak. "He was worried about you and looked for you everywhere. He died of a weak and tainted heart two years ago, but you wouldn't know that because you ran away with the one person you love most!"  
  
Rei sat down blankly. Nothing made sense to her anymore. "Grandpa died...because I left?"  
  
"He was old, Rei! He had a lot of pain on his heart and worried for you! There's nothing in world like caring about people." Ami said with a frown. "It sure was sad though. We were all surprised to see you missing at the wake. We thought you would have found out and been there. I guess not."  
  
"He's gone... just like Momma..." Rei stared at the ground.  
  
Ami sat down beside Rei. "There whn't been any enemy attacks lately. Not in years. Luna says it's because the scouts lost their bond between each other. The Imperium Silver Crystal has no power what so ever."  
  
Rei didn't listen. She couldn't stop thinking about Grandpa's death and that she was the one who caused it. She got up, and ran down the stairs. "REI! Where at you going?! WAIT!" Ami called after her.  
  
Rei kept running, almost tripping down the stairs as she squinted to see through her tears. "REI!" she could hear Ami call, but she kept running, like five years ago. Running away from her fears. She just kept running.... running... running... 


	3. Dreaming

_I bet some of you are wondering where I got the idea of Grandpa Hino dying. Well, lets just say it was meant to happen and a huge part of the story, 'kay? But let's continue with Chapter 2.

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_

> Jaedite watched Rei as she walked in; she hung her head and finally sat down at the table, putting her purse down. At first, he only stared, dangling a toothpick in his mouth and switching it around with his chin resting on his hand, following her with his eyes. "Rei, what happened? Where did you go?"  
  
She only looked at the ground, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again with a sigh. "...are you feeling better?"  
  
He thought for a while, toothpick swinging every which way. "I was worried about you at first, but I'm glad you came back."  
  
"Everyone is worried!" she shooted through the tears that sprung to her eyes. "Everyone in this stupid world is worried about me!"  
  
"Of course I worry about you, Rei." He said, standing up and walking over to her. "What happened?"  
  
"I went to the temple today to see how things have been, and I ran into Ami, who told me Grandpa died two years ago," she began to bawl. "Then she said it was my fault because I drove his limits when I left. His heart weakened with worry and eventually pasted away..."  
  
Jaedite hugged Rei and she hid her face in his white t-shirt. "I'm sorry to hear that, Rei," Jaedite began to say. "He was the only one who excepted me. But babe, it's not your fault. You only did what your heart told you to do. You weren't thinking about the others who loved you, but Rei, you can't please everyone."  
  
"It's all my fault," Rei said through gasps, as if she didn't hear him. "I can't believe I didn't know! It's been years! He must be disappointed!"  
  
"REI!" Jaedite said, shaking her shoulders. She stared up at him as the tears poured down her face. "It's not your fault! You can't beat yourself up for something that happened! You can't do it over. You just have to move on!"   
  
Rei escaped from his grip. "You don't know what it feels like, Jed! You just don't!" She ran down the hall with her face hidden in her hands as her hair swung from behind her. Jaedite sighed and picked up his toothpick and sat down against the wall. He brought his knees to his chin and rested his cheek on it, and took turns wripping apart the toothpick and burning each one with the fire in his grip.It was late at night, about eleven, when Rei heard a knocking at her door. "Rei, can I come in?" she heard Jaedite say from outside.   
  
She brushed away her tears and leaned up in the bed, fixing her hair into a ponytail. "What is it, Jed?"  
  
"Can I come in?" he asked again, tapping on the door.  
  
"Sure.." she answered with a sniffle.  
  
The door creaked open and Jaedite stepped inside. He only wore a pair of worn out jeans and his gold necklace ran down to his chest. "Rei, you didn't eat a thing. I brought some rice balls," he said, setting down the tray on the bed. He walked over to the other side and sat down with his legs crossed next to her. He brushed away a tear that ran down her cheek.  
  
She didn't look at him. "I'm twisted," she said simply. "I'm such an ass to forget about Grandpa like that..." she sucked her teeth and bit her lip.  
  
"No you aren't," he said to her, leaning on his left arm. "Like I said before, you can't beat up yourself for something that happened. It happened. Yes, it's terrible, but that was years ago. Now that you know, you have to move on with your life."   
  
"I don't know if I can ever forgive myself.." she said, looking at him. "I ran away for five years with the only intension of making love and here I sit, drowning in my own tears of regret," she stared down. "I hate myself.."  
  
Jaedite sighed and looked at the ceiling. "You said you saw Ami?"  
  
"Yes. She told me about Grandpa then," she tried not to cry, then she managed a giggle. "She looked so different. My little Ami..."  
  
Jaedite smiled. "Was that a giggle I heard?" He leaned closer. "See, Rei? Every cloud has a silver lining... and a small catch here and there."  
  
Rei laughed and wiped her eyes. "I guess so, doesn't it?"  
  
"That's how life is, Rei," Jaedite said. "I believe that people face difficulties only so they can overcome them and see how strong they are. It's like a test."  
  
"...you'll never break, will you Jed?" Rei asked, in a serious way.  
  
Jaedite knew she meant by crying. "Nope," he said simply and leaned back with a smile. "Not ever."Rei spun around in a circle and stopped again. She stared off into the distance of the Hikawa Temple and breathed in the fresh air, then turned when she heard a crash. "Yuuichirou! What did you do now?"  
  
Yuuichirou turned quickly from the pile of rakes that crashed to the floor and laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, Rei."  
  
Rei giggled lightly and watched him struggle to pick up the rakes. It was last fall, almost winter, and Yuuichirou washed the rakes and began to put them back into the shed for the winter.   
  
Just then, Grandpa Hino rushed out of the shrine. "Rei, Rei, come quick!" he yelled, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the shrine doors.  
  
Inside, the fire of the shrine began to burn a dark purple, almost black, and a cresent moon spun around in the center. Grandpa pointed to the figure. "It just burst into a dark flame! I don't understand what happened. It's bad luck to have the fire go out, but to have it turn the color of demons is more of a curse!"  
  
Rei inched toward it with her hand out and when she got close enough, it burst into flame and left her screaming. The symbol of Mars shot from the fire and flew from the shrine. Rei ran outside to see where it was headed, and standing on the tip of the stairs was Jaedite...Rei shot up in bed and panted heavily. Jaedite was up in a second. "Rei? What's wrong?" he asked tiredly. He quinted his eyes and leaned up in bed next to Rei. He got really tired of saying that.  
  
She looked around the room. The tray of rice balls was left only with crumbs, so she figured she ate them already. Then she remembered Jaedite's question. "Oh, it was a dream..."  
  
He breathed in heavily and then exhauled. "What about?"  
  
"When you first came to the temple..."  
  
He laughed. "And that scared you?"  
  
"No," she began. "The fact that scared me was... seeing Grandpa and Yuuichirou again. I excepted to wake up in the temple at age 16 and found I dreampt the last five years."  
  
He sat up and yawned, looking at the time. "Hmm. It's after eight. Good timing, Rei," he said with a smile. Then he reached over and kissed her gently.  
  
"It was weird," she said, watching him get out of bed and comb back his hair. "I thought I would wake up in tears or something."  
  
"Well, you sure were dawling last night," he said, looking over at her. "You wouldn't stop blaming yourself.  
  
"Really?" Rei asked. "Was I sleeping?"  
  
"I dunno. You seemed more drunk and tired then asleep," he said with a teasing grin. "I had to hold you close before you went crazy with sorrow. 'Even had to sing you to sleep," he winked.  
  
"Really? What did you sing?" She asked, more interested than the first.  
  
He looked at her, then walked toward the door. "Does it matter?" He walked out with a quick glance over at the tea table.   
  
Rei sighed and leaned up, looking to where he glanced, and found her communicator sitting on the table with a casablanca sleeping next to it.


	4. Reunite

__

_Fweh. Three chapters in one day? I must be bored! Oh well, it's the summer, and I know people read this, so it's for a good cause. Enjoy!___

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> Rei stared at the communicator for a good long while in disbelief. It looked just the same as always; a black band with the yellow star surrounding the symbol of Mars. "My communicator?" She crawled over to the edge of the bed and picked up the watch, her fingers gently rubbing the symbol. "I can't believe it. I thought I lost it. Who could have returned it?"  
  
She got out of bed and rushed over to the kitchen where Jaedite might have been.  
  
"Jed!" she yelled, spotting him by the sink washing dishes. "Jed, did you find my communicator or something?"  
  
He looked up from the sink and dried off his hands. "No. Ami came over last night and said for me to give it to you."  
  
"And you didn't tell me?!"  
  
"She asked for me to give it to you in the morning, when you would be feeling better."  
  
And it was then when Rei remembered about Grandpa. She bit her lip. "What am I supposed to do with this?"  
  
"Look inside," Jaedite suggested and Rei sat down and opened the watch. Out fell a piece of paper in the shape of a star and Rei read in her head what it said. She could almost hear Ami's soft, hurt voice...  
  
_Rei,  
It's really a shame that you had to leave the Hikawa Temple. Once you left, everyone's tranformation pens and powers disappeared. The only thing left was the Imperium Silver Crystal, which looks like any old fake rock. Our bond as guardians has been broken, and no enemies have been attacking for years. But all I can say is, the Crystal has been acting up lately; it's been glowing the color red and back to green, then blue, then yellow. Usagi is stumped. She's really upset about what she said to you years ago. We all are. I hope you and Jaedite are doing alright. And I hope Makoto is, too...__   
  
_  
Rei quivered as she read the note. Makoto? What happened to Makoto? She stood up from the table and put the note back into the communicator. "Jaedite, I'm going for a walk..." and without waiting for him to reply, she was gone.Rei stepped out from the apartment house and ran down the street. She dodged the crowd of people and was surprised to see so many. "What happened?" she asked, tapping the shoulder of a woman in front of her.  
  
The woman turned around from her place and had a worried look on her face. "Oh dear, some wierd hole appeared just over night and everyone is wondering what happened."  
  
"A hole? How big?" Rei asked, in a mocking voice.  
  
The lady frowned. "Come here and see." She pushed the nearest person in front of her away and let Rei past the crowd. The hole looked ten feet deep, fifteen across, and everyone was just staring and gawking.   
  
Rei looked around past the crowd and saw Usagi on one end with Mamoru, Minako on the other corner, and Yuuichirou right across from her. "Wow," Rei said in a whisper, "they sure look different." And this was true. Minako had grown more slender and her hair more golden and pulled back into a orange bow, instead of her traditional red. Usagi had her hair loose for a change and was pulled back by two red clips by the ears. Yuuichirou cut all his rock star hair and now looked like a confused Mamoru with brown hair. Mamo-chan looked no different.   
  
After smiling at her friends, who didn't realize she was there, she felt the hatred toward them come back in a blaze. But, where was Makoto? "Rei," she heard someone say as they tapped her shoulder, "good to see you here."  
  
Rei turned around swiftly when she noticed the voice to be Ami's. "Ami! What are you doing here?"  
  
"We're all here," she said, pointed the scattered broken team. "We heard and came running, just at different times."  
  
Rei studied Ami. She couldn't believe that the Ami she knew, the one with sparkles in her eyes and a light smile, turned into this frightened girl whose eyes seemed like ice. 'What happened to my Ami?' she asked herself.  
  
Ami only looked past her. "Luna thinks it's an enemy. We aren't sure yet, but if it is, there is no way for us to stop it," she paused, "unless we join back together."  
  
"No way!" Rei yelled, forcing others to turn and see. "There is no way I'm coming back to you all just because of an enemy approaching. If Usagi knows so much about love and power, why doesn't she just do it?"  
  
"Rei, please, this isn't the time!"  
  
"For years, Usagi has treated me like nothing but the sidekick. The third wheel. The loveless fire tamer, and nothing more!" She was yelling now, and Usagi looked over to see who.   
  
"Rei?" she mouthed and nudged Mamoru to come with her.  
  
"Rei, please! This is important!"  
  
"Yeah, you need my help now, once the world starts to fall to pieces, but you didn't need me for anything else!" Rei stomped away, leaving Ami silent. When Usagi finally made to her, she watched her walk away.  
  
"Rei..." she said, and grabbed onto Mamoru's arm to follow.  
  
Rei stood outside Makoto's apartment house. Once she finally had the courage to step inside, it began to rain. "Mako-chan, it's me, Rei," she said, speaking into the voice box that was sent straight to Makoto's room. When there was no answer, she yelled out. "MAKO! Are you there? It's Rei!"  
  
When no one answered again, Rei grabbed the key from her pocket and unlocked the entrace door and ran up the stairs to the fourth floor.  
  
"Mako! Are you there?" she asked again, while ringing the doorbell. She could hear footsteps walking around gently in the room, then stopping. Rei guessed who ever was there was now staring at the door. "Mako?"  
  
"Leave me alone," she heard the person say. It was Makoto's voice; Rei could tell her voice from anywhere, even if it was been years.  
  
"No, Makoto! I have been meaning to talk to you!" Rei said through the door.  
  
"Go away, Rei. You only came to make things worse again." The figure moved closer to the door and was now looking through the peek hole. Makoto was shocked to see no one there, but then noticed Rei was sitting against the door.  
  
"Would you just listen, Makoto?" Rei asked. Makoto didn't move, so Rei guessed she was. "I'm sorry for leaving all those years ago, okay? I can't believe you are still holding a grudge over this!"  
  
"Like you're holding a grudge about Usagi saying what she said that day?!"  
  
Rei was silent, and began to talk again. "Whatever is in your head, Mako, deal with it and move on. We only face hard times so we can overcome them."  
  
"How can you say that, Rei? Your duty was strictly to protect the princess and never leave her side! Not only did you leave, but you showed no respect to Usagi and now our powers are broken! What if that hole outside is from an enemy spaceship of something? Maybe even the beast itself? What can we do? We have nothing to use to fight back! All because of you! You broke the promise you made as guardian and that broke the bond! There is no way to protect Usagi anymore!"  
  
Rei leaned up against the door and listen to Makoto scream and yell. It all went through one ear and out the other, so she got up. "Mako, I only came to see you. I guess I won't..." Rei grabbed her communicator from off the ground and left the white lily outside the door. By the time Makoto opened it and picked up the flower, Rei was gone.  
  
"I'm back, Jed," Rei called as she closed the door behind her; her hair spun around soaked from the rain. When she turned, she saw Usagi and Mamoru sitting at her kitchen table, arms folded.


	5. Truth

> "What the hell you are two doing here?!" Rei asked with a tone.  
  
They both looked up at her. "Jaedite isn't here. We had the key and decided to wait for you."  
  
"Get out of Jed's house," Rei said to them. "Now. You are not welcome here."  
  
"I don't give a damn if I was or wasn't," Usagi said, standing up. "We have a score to settle, Rei."  
  
"Which one is that, Meatball Head?" she paused and looked Usagi up and down. No more buns in her hair, no more meatball head.  
  
Usagi stood in shock. Rei always used to call her that, and now, five years later, she still does. There must be love somewhere. "I guess you heard about what happened to Grandpa Hino. What a shame," Usagi said with a tease.  
  
"Don't mention Grandpa's name," Rei replied with a fist in both hands. "Don't ever."  
  
Usagi sucked her teeth. "And I guess you heard about Makoto."  
  
"No. I didn't," Rei said, leaning against the wall. "What about her?"  
  
"Oh, she's very angry at you, Rei. Mainly because of the fact that you disrepected me and ran away, taking our will power with you, and must of all, taking her power."  
  
"Go on.."  
  
"Well," Usagi said, "you understand that Sailor Jupiter does have a love interest, right? Right after you took her power along with ours, her lover was killed in a serious fight with a droid that was left behind. She couldn't save him. She tried, but failed, and saw him die." Rei looked up. "And that droid left soon after. Luna thinks to report back to their master and say how the scouts were unable to transform. And this 'hole inncident' has some kind of connection to this whole thing."  
  
"What do you want me to do about it?" Rei asked.  
  
"If you simply come back to us, we can have our powers back and help defend the world from disaster. It would sure make Makoto happy to repent for it."  
  
"No," Rei said simply. "Now leave."  
  
"I'm not going without the thing I came for!" Usagi yelled.  
  
Suddenly, the door opened and the faces turned. "What are they doing here?" Jaedite asked when he walked in.  
  
Rei ran over to him. "They threatened me and came inside without an invitation!"  
  
Jaedite stared at Mamoru with a frown. "Mamoru, get out of my house. You too, Usagi. Let's go."  
  
"So that's it, Jaedite. Going against your prince, too?" Mamoru asked, grabbing Usagi by the arm. "Let's go, Bunny."  
  
Usagi stuck her tongue out at Rei, causing her to grin. "Thank you, Jaedite," Rei said when the closed the door.   
  
"Did they hurt you?" Jaedite asked, putting his umbrella in the corner.   
  
"No, just surprised me.." she remembered Usagi stick out her tongue as she left. How old was she now? 22?  
  
"Good," Jaedite said as she embraced Rei. "Your hair is soaked!"   
  
Rei giggled. "Yeah, it was raining when I came back from Mako's. She's very upset with me."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Jaedite said, holding Rei closer to him. "Don't stress over that drama. Don't worry yourself to death."  
  
Something in his voice showed he didn't really mean that, so Rei stared at him with hurt eyes. He really cared about her, didn't he? Like Rei was supposed to care about Grandpa. Without even knowing it, Rei reached up and kissed Jaedite's pale pink lips and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she heard him say between gasps."What if everything Usagi said is true?" Rei thought to herself as she sat on the steps outside. "What if the enemy does return? How could we win?" Her eyes narrowed. "How could I win?"  
  
"Rei?"   
  
She looked up and spotted a little girl standing in front of her. "Hotaru!"  
  
"Rei, what's the matter?"  
  
At first, Rei didn't answer. Hotaru looked so much older; her playful child looking eyes were gone and were replaced by a more serious purple glare. "I'm surprised you are actually talking to me."  
  
"Why shouldn't I?" she asked, tilting her head. "Oh, about the running away thing? Don't worry, Rei. I see what you are going through. Just do what you think is best."  
  
She smiled, and Rei couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you, Hotaru. What are doing over here anyway?"  
  
"I'm on my way to Chibiusa's house. We are going to watch movies tonight while Usagi and Mamoru are gone."  
  
"Oh, that's sweet. Have a good time. Come by and see me soon," Rei said, trying to look happy.  
  
Hotaru nodded and took a step up, then back again. She studied Rei for a while then her eyes grew cold. "I don't know why everyone hates you. You are a great person who is caught between the two people she loves. You've been through a lot of tough decisions, Rei, and I'm sorry no one but me can see that." Without waiting for Rei's answer, Hotaru ran down the street and Rei could hear her heels clicking until she was out of sight.  
  
"You are right, Hotaru," Rei said, looking at the sky. "Why can't they see that?" She let out a sigh. "I have to do something. I've got... a bad feeling."Late that night, Rei woke up in bed and tapped Jaedite on his shoulder. "Jed, wake up, Jaedite."  
  
He tossed and turned a few times then finally opened his eyes. "Rei?"  
  
"I've been thinking," she said simply. Jaedite sighed and sat up in bed. It was dark, but soon their eyes got adjusted to the pitch darkness. "...thinking about the approaching enemy. I don't like this one bit. Something's going to happen soon."  
  
Jaedite put his arm around Rei's shoulder and grabbed her hand. "I've been getting the same vibes. All this hatred between the scouts and you is just foolish. They were terrible to not even give me a chance. You've been through a lot of tough decisions, Rei, and I'm sorry no one but me can see that."  
  
And in the darkness, Rei could hear Hotaru say, plain as day, 'I'm sorry no one but me can see that'. "Hotaru... said the same thing," she said to Jaedite.  
  
"No kiddin'?" He laughed. "Well, that kid has a point." Jaedite noticed Rei so quiet, so he rested his head on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Rei. What ever is going to happen, I'll be there to help. And maybe even young Hotaru."  
  
Rei smiled. She remembered thinking, "Okay, if you say so," but she fell asleep before she could."Hotaru," Rei said the next day when Hotaru came over, "Do you think I did the right thing?"  
  
Hotaru played around with her doll's hair. She might have been a young teen, but she still loved to comb her doll's hair. "What thing?"  
  
"Running away."  
  
She thought. "Well, as Sailor Saturn, I've ran away from many battles before and it never did any good. You just can't run away from your fears, but Rei, if you didn't leave, Jaedite would have been upset. No matter what you did five years ago, someone would still be left hurt. You can't please everyone. It's impossible."  
  
"You're right," Rei said. They were both quiet for a while, then Hotaru began talking about the movie last night. Rei nodded once in a while to look like she paid attention, but her mind was on a different subject. What if she did return to the scouts? Would Jaedite still love her? But she must be a sailor scout in order to protect him. No matter what, Rei thought, someone will be left hurt.  
  
"Hotaru?" Rei asked, once she was done discussing the movie. "I think I might marry Jaedite."  
  
Hotaru smiled. "Right. Marry Jaedite and name all the children after me. But first, go back to the scouts and fight for him and your future."  
  
"My future?" Rei asked, looking at Hotaru.   
  
She nodded. "I'm Sailor Saturn. I know the darkness of the future. You must go back. Soon."


	6. Return

> "I can't believe you actually talked to Rei!" Usagi yelled at Hotaru the next day at her house. All the scouts sat around the tea table in the living room, sipping their tea and eating cookies.   
  
"Why shouldn't I? You all treat Rei like crap. She's been through a lot! She's living with the fact that her grandfather died and she didn't know, the fact it was her fault Mako's lover was killed," she looked at Makoto who looked up with hurt eyes, "and she's very upset to know you all hate her!"  
  
Chibiusa closed her eyes. "I'm going with Hotaru today when she goes to see Rei. I want to see her again."  
  
"No, I forbid it!" Usagi yelled.  
  
"Mom! It's not fair! Why shouldn't I see Rei? Just because you don't want to see her?" Chibiusa yelled.  
  
"Usagi, that's not right," Ami said.  
  
Usagi looked over at her. "You too, Ami? What the hell did you all plan?"  
  
"Nothing, Usagi," Minako said from her spot. "Let them go and see Rei. Before this all happened, they loved Rei and looking forward to seeing her. She's like their big sister. You just can't take that away from them because of any arguement."  
  
"Thank you, Mina-chan!" Hotaru said, clapping her hands. "We love Rei!"  
  
Usagi closed her eyes. "Go. Maybe you can drag her butt back where she belongs."  
  
"She's already where she belongs," Chibiusa said. But before Usagi could get up and slap her, the two girls were gone.Rei walked over to the door when she heard the knocking. "You can taste the cookies now, Jaedite!" she called from behind her shoulder and opened the door. "Chibiusa?!" Rei yelled and wiped her hands on her apron.  
  
"Rei!" Chibiusa wrapped her arms around Rei's waist and hugged her tight. "Long time no see, Rei-chan!"  
  
"It's so great to see you! You sure have grown!" Rei said, with sparkles in her eyes.  
  
Chibiusa smiled widely. "Thank you!" Then she wondered strongly why the girls still hated Rei.  
  
"Well come on in, girls! I just made cookies!" Rei said with a smile and walked the girls inside.  
  
"I'm glad I came with you," Chibiusa whispered to Hotaru.  
  
"Told you!" Hotaru said back.  
  
Rei led the girls into the kitchen were Jaedite was, just setting the tray of cookies down. "Jaedite, I want you to meet Chibiusa and Hotaru."  
  
Jaedite smiled, and both girls' eyes sparkled. "Hello, Chibiusa. Hello, Hotaru. Long time no see."  
  
Chibiusa and Hotaru rushed up to Jaedite and hugged him tightly. "Hi Jed!" Rei could see Hotaru wink at her.  
  
"Would you girls like some cookies? We made chocolate chip," Jaedite said, pointing to the tray of cookies on the table.  
  
"Oh, do I ever!" Hotaru and Chibiusa said in unison.   
  
At the table, the girls took turns biting into cookies and drinking their milk. Even though they were both young teenagers, their playfulness still lingered in their hearts. "These are great!" Chibiusa said, crumbs flying from her mouth. "Usagi is sure missing a great batch!"  
  
Jaedite put his napkin on the table. "And what brings you girls here?"  
  
Hotaru wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Well, we wanted to bring Rei back to the team. Usagi kinda begged us," Hotaru said with a smile.  
  
Rei didn't say a thing, just drank some more milk. "Yeah, and we want you back anyway, Rei!" Chibiusa said, "and so does Minako and Ami.."  
  
Jaedite looked at Rei. "I'm sure she could go back for today and come home tonight, right Rei?"  
  
Hotaru and Chibiusa giggled.  
  
"I..." Rei looked down at her lap. "I guess... it won't hurt... if I just say hello.."  
  
"YAY!" Hotaru said, jumping out of her chair. "Well, let's go!" Hotaru said, grabbing her hand. Chibiusa grabbed Jaedite's hand and managed to get the both of them out of the house."Look who we brought back!" Hotaru sang as she busted through the door of Usagi's house. The girls all looked up when they saw Rei and Jaedite standing in the doorway.  
  
Jaedite was leaning against the wall with his arms holded; Rei stood tall as she cupped Chibiusa's hand. "Told ya she would come back!" Chibiusa said.  
  
Ami stood up. "Hello Jaedite, it's lovely to see you again. Hi, Rei."  
  
Jaedite waved to Ami once he felt it was safe, and Rei smiled back. "It's been a while, Ami."  
  
Minako got out of her chair too. She first stared at Rei and then Jaedite, then finally smiled. "Hello."  
  
Just then, Makoto walked into the room with a tray of cookies. She stopped instantly at the sight of them. "What the hell are they doing here?!"  
  
"We brought them here, Makoto," Hotaru said proudly. "We have to solve this stupid arguement that you so proudly keep going."  
  
Makoto sighed and sat down next to Usagi, who didn't even look up.  
  
It was quiet for a while; everyone just stood staring at each other until Jaedite walked across the room. He stood in front of Makoto. "Mako-chan, I'm sorry to hear about Kunzite's death."  
  
She shook her head. "That's alright..." Everyone stared at Jaedite, even Makoto who just realized what he said. "You knew Kunzite?!"  
  
"Knew him? He was... my friend."  
  
Rei stared at him when he came back to his position. Usagi leaned up in the chair. "I think... it's solved..."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Sorry that chapter was such a quickie. ;; I just wanted to put something out so I can get something else done. It took up my morning, so you better have enjoyed it...


	7. Yuuichirou

  
  
Makoto stood up from her seat and left the room.  
  
"Do you think," Jaedite began to say slowly, "that Makoto is relieved to know I was a great friend of Kunzite's?"  
  
Ami stood up. "Well, Jaedite, I'm sure it put comfort on her shoulders to know that Rei didn't mean it personally. If you weren't friends with Kunzite, rest in peace, I do believe Makoto would be furious at Rei even more than she is now."  
  
"I agree," Minako said cheerful.  
  
Usagi didn't look up at up, yet she directed her attention to Rei. "Just be grateful I didn't snatch your powers completely."  
  
Rei frowned and stomped her feet. "That's exactly why I can't stand you anymore, Usagi! I came back to help and you still hate my guts! Get over you it! You don't have your powers! Too bad!" Rei stomped out of the room and Ami ran after her.  
  
"Rei, wait!"   
  
"What Ami?!" Rei asked, stopping. "What do you want?"  
  
"Please stay, Rei," her eyes were narrow with sorrow.  
  
"No, Ami. I came back. There. It's done. I'm going home," she turned around again, but Ami grabbed her arm.  
  
"But Rei!"  
  
"But Rei nothing! Now all of a sudden you need my help. Five years ago you turned on me and they are still against me and you expect me to just come back like nothing happened? You don't know me, Ami," Rei said, and stomped away.  
  
Jaedite burst from the room and walked after her, Ami stopping to look at him. He stared, Ami stared. She wondered why Rei seemed to love this man more than her own friends. He shook his head and ran, and Ami questioned why SHE wasn't the one who ran after her.   
  
"Because Jaedite is a better friend than me..." she sauntered away back into the quiet room of the house.

---

Rei stomped down the street and Jaedite finally caught up with her. He ran ahead of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Rei, calm down."  
  
The sky grew darker and darker by the second. Soon, raindrops began to fall from the sky onto Rei's pale cheeks. Jaedite didn't seem to notice. "Jaedite, I can't take it anymore. She is still upset with me! I won't go back and help her with that attitude of hers!"  
  
"You really let down Hotaru," Jaedite said, softly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"When you left, Hotaru looked awfully sad. I think if Usagi wasn't in the room, she would have cried."  
  
Rei looked down at the ground. "Hotaru..."  
  
"She said she's leaving. Going back to Setsuna and the Outer Senshi. She only came back to try and bring the scouts back together."  
  
Rei leaned forward and rested her forehead on Jaedite's shoulder. "Hotaru..."  
  
He patted her back that the rain pounded so hard on. "Let's go..."

---

Rei stared out the window of the apartment house and watched the raindrops fall. They fell silently and slowly, and gracefully slid down the window. Jaedite soon walked into the room and crept behind Rei. The rain from the window reflected off the glass onto Rei's face, so her reflection looked like she was crying.  
  
"Rei?"  
  
She didn't look up. "Yes?"  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Counting the raindrops... and thinking."  
  
He sat beside her. "How many?"  
  
"... lost count."  
  
He laughed set his cup of tea down on the table."Thinking about what?"  
  
She looked over at him and got off the couch. She sat on his lap with her head next to his shoulder and he wrapped his arms across the top of her stomach. "Thinking about Hotaru, Grandpa, Yuuichirou, and Ami."  
  
He ran his hand threw her hair gently. "Yeah?"  
  
She closed her eyes. "Poor Hotaru. I must have crushed her spirit. She looked so happy when I told her I'd come and make up. Grandpa worried about me and eventually gave up on life, Yuuichirou loved me dearly and I wonder how he's doing without me, and Ami, oh Ami, has lost her innocence and spirit. She's like a dead spirit of sorrow. I want my old Ami back. The study freak who got on us for not finishing our homework..."  
  
Jaedite gave Rei a sqeeze. "Why don't you go back to the temple? Find out where Yuuichirou is."  
  
"You wouldn't mind, Jed?"  
  
"I know your feelings for me. I can't forbid you to see someone you care about, Rei, that would be wrong. If you want to see him again, go find him. Maybe that will take the weight off your shoulders so you can concintrate on me," he winked.  
  
Rei laughed; she knew half of it was a tease, half was pain, and the remaining was happiness. And two halves cover it all.  
  
Then Jaedite looked out the window. "Remember that day, before I told you I loved you, when I made you go on a date with me and we got caught in the rain?"  
  
Rei smiled and looked out the window. Of course, she remembered it clearly. Jaedite had just taken her out for pizza when they came out in the rain. He took the complaining Rei by the hand and began to run with her; she still held her Coke in her hand. They ran in the street, dodging any stray car that honked for them to move. They ran, had little children pointing from their windows, and cars honked their horns. Slashing in the puddles, the puddles that came up to their ankles, and soon the whole street was flooded. The water twirled, thunder roared, and lightning zipped past the sky. Jaedite laughed at the frightened Rei and soon, pushed her. She frowned, pushed him back, and soon they went at it, pushing each other until Jaedite grabbed Rei and forced her down into the water. She laughed as tears, or water, rolled down her cheeks, and her brand new jeans were soaked from the flood. Jaedite laughed, bent down, and kissed her. She only closed her eyes; she couldn't see the streetlights beaming anymore, or hear the honking of the cars that zipped by saying, 'those crazy kids..'; just Jaedite's lips against hers and the water that kept swishing, climbing on top of her, and her heart drowned with thumps....  
  
"Remember that, Rei?"  
  
Rei looked up at the ceiling. "It was pouring..."

---

Rei walked down the abandoned streets with her purse dangling from her hand. Jaedite convinced her to return to the Hikawa Temple after the rain stopped. She didn't know why he suggested she should, but she listened anyway. She sighed, hoping she wouldn't run into any of the Senshi, especially Ami.   
  
"I don't know," Rei thought aloud. "I just don't want to see Ami anymore. Ami makes me sad." She looked up blankly into the horizon and remembered those ice cold eyes. Ami was always full of life and a posstive attitude, and seeing her full of sorrow didn't help Rei get over the fact that it could have been her fault.   
  
It lightly began to rain now, so Rei quickened the pace. Thoughts of Yuuichirou suddenly popped into her head; she was going to the Temple, anyway. She remembered those days when he would listen to every word she said, like he worshipped her, and he would even check on her during the middle of the night, due the inncident when a droid attacked late one night. He never forgot about that, and woke himself up every night just to check on her. Rei remembers how cute that would be.  
  
She hopped up the stairs to the Temple and casually walked inside. This time she noticed how dirty the floors were, so she instantly dropped her purse and reached a broom that sat dusty in a corner. "I have to clean this up before Grandpa sees!" she said without thinking, and after a few sweeps, she froze, and dropped her broom. She stood there, blank for a minute, waiting for Yuuichirou to come in and ask, ' what's the matter?', but when he didn't come, she ran down the hallway with her face duried in her hands.  
  
She sat on the mattress of the bed and looked out the window of her old bedroom. The cherry blossom trees where still there, but they looked dead and forgotten, just like the Temple itself. Then, like an illusion, she saw herself outside, wearing the red priestess kimono, and chasing after Yuuichirou with the rake. He laughed nervously and ran in circles; his sandles clicking to match the beat and the leaves from the tree fell and swayed, as if nodding. Pretty soon, Grandpa Hino stepped outside and folded his arms. "What are you two doing? Get back to work!" she could hear him say, so clearly, it gave Rei chills. "Sorry Grandpa," Rei whispered at the same time as the illusion said it, and she watched them go back to work and they slowly began to fade...  
  
She sighed and looked down at her shoes. To her surprise, she felt no tears form in her eyes, and no heat rise to her heart. "There's no use trying to cry," Rei said to herself, "my eyes don't cry no more..."

She aimlessly wandered around the Hikawa Temple until it was sundown. She got up from her sitting posision, took one look at the fire, threw her scroll in, and left. "I better get home," she said as she closed the door to the chamber, "but it sure felt good to meditate for an hour." She walked over to the exit and stood on the porch, then reached for her purse to find it wasn't there. "Damn, I must have left it in my room," she thought as she retraced her steps. Before she left, she saw a shadow making its way up the tower of the stairs, but payed no attention.  
  
"Got it," she said as she put her purse on and took one last look at the casablanca that sat on the dusty table. She cocked an eyebrow and walked back in front of it. "How could... my casablanca still be alive after all these years of no water?" She watched it glow a slight red, then it stopped.  
  
"Rei?!"  
  
She turned around when she heard a voice that was so familiar, it scared her. Brown hair, brown eyes, tall, and without a doupt, in love. She pandered and pandered as she stared at the face of this boy, who seemed familiar in every way except his hair. Then she realized it and heart skipped a beat. "Yuuichirou?!"  
  
He smiled and nodded. "What... are you doing here? I mean, shouldn't you be with Jaedite? Or did you just want to visit? Did you hear what happened to Grandpa? Did you know I quit the rock band?"  
  
This was Yuuichirou alright, she thought as she listened to him continue to ask questions. He was blushing red now and was stuttering over his words, afraid to say something wrong. When he finally stopped, she just stared at him. All those memories and feelings of Yuuichirou vanished, as if she couldn't believe, and she just stared.  
  
"This is a surprise," Yuuichirou finally said calmly. "I didn't expect to see you here. How's Jaedite?"  
  
You stupid fool, she thought, ask about me, not about Jaedite. "He's great. I think he's annoyed at me for talking about you and Grandpa so much."  
  
Yuuichirou blushed a deep red, then jammed his sweaty fists in his jacket pocket. "I can't believe it's really you. I'm sorry."  
  
Then she remembered the day she left and saw the look in his eyes. He was on Usagi's side that day, wasn't he? And all this time, he was just looking out for her, and she never put him on equal sides as Usagi, but instead, wanted to see him again. The old Yuuichirou. The one who hums rock songs and is always dropping things; the one whose heart fell for Rei. "It's okay."  
  
He stared, smiled, and took his hands from his pockets. "Um," he reached his arms out, "I can't believe... it's really you."  
  
Rei stared at him. He wanted a hug, she thought, the hug he never recieved when he truely loved her. She stepped up, grabbed his hands, and hugged him tightly. She rested her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes. "Yuuichirou..."

* * *

Aww. She finally found Yuuichirou. But don't worry, everyone, she isn't cheating on Jaedite. If you saw someone you haven't seen in years, I bet you'd hug them too! Well, on to the next chapter! Reviews are welcomed. 


	8. Setsuna

  
  
Rei tried not to slam the door when she came home late that night, but Jaedite was up and in Rei's arms before she could get her jacket off. "Rei, I was worried!"  
  
She smiled and patted Jaedite's back. "I'm sorry, really."   
  
He looked up at her. "Good. So, what happened?" Rei threw her jacket on the rack and sat down on the couch. She stretched out and yawned. "Well?" he asked again, "See anyone you wanted to see?"  
  
She smiled, then bolted up, looking into Jaedite's sparkling eyes. "...You knew Yuuichirou was going to be there..."  
  
Jaedite smiled and winked. "Naw. Maybe he heard that you were going there from someone else."  
  
Rei wanted to burst into tears of joy. She always had a hard time with thanking people, so she just jumped up and threw her arms around Jaedite's waist and hugged him tightly. He smiled, and took it as a thank you.

---  
  
It was late at night when Rei and Jaedite heard the doorbell ring. Rei groaned and tapped Jaedite. "Jaedite, get the door..."  
  
He opened his eyes and kissed her cheek. "'Kay." He got up and walked down the hallway after grabbing his robe. Once by the door, he opened it and stared at the two girls outside. "Hello,"  
  
he said politely, "may I help you?"  
  
He was surprised to see the second step up onto the steps and towered to his height. The slower girl clinged onto the woman's leg and soon, she smiled. "Jaedite!"  
  
Jaedite cocked an eyebrow. "Hotaru?"   
  
She giggled and paraded inside. "Yup. Hi!" Jaedite watched Hotaru hop over to the couch and look around. "Where's Rei?"  
  
"She's in the bedroom. Knock first."  
  
"Okay!" she said, and skipped to Rei's bedroom as she hummed a song.  
  
"Hello," the woman said as she stepped inside. "My name is Setsuna Meioh, guardian of Hotaru Tomoe."  
  
Jaedite smiled at her. "Nice to meet you." He looked surprised; Setuna looked like an older Rei with dark green tinted hair. Her eyes looked much colder though, and she had a hypnotizing gaze. "Please, sit down."  
  
Setsuna nodded and took a seat on the couch. She set her purse on the table and crossed her legs. "I am here because Hotaru told me that the Senshi rejected Rei for running away five years ago. I do not know if this is true, because you can never get a story straight from a little girl, even if she is twelve years old."  
  
Jaedite smiled and waved a hand. "No, that is true."  
  
"May I hear the entire story please, Mr. Jaedite?" she asked.  
  
Her gaze sent chills down Jaedite's spine, and he guessed she could have been thirty or so. She sure was beautiful, he thought. "Well, the girls thought I was going to betray Rei in some way, so they were against our relationship. Rei ran away, because you couldn't stand her best friends telling her to break up with me and that I was bad news. Usagi said Rei didn't know what true love is."  
  
"I see," Setsuna said, eyeing the bedroom door. "She ran away from fear and anger, to stay with the one she loves." She sighed. "She can't run away from things, though. But I can understand her pain and wanting. That's pretty hard, knowing your best friends hate the person they love most." She gave Jaedite a tearful glance. "Tears humans apart."  
  
Jaedite gulped and nodded, then Rei walked into the room with her yukata on and Hotaru in her arms. "Setsuna!" She walked over to Setsuna and bounced Hotaru in the air. "So Hotaru wasn't telling fibs!"  
  
Hotaru laughed and Rei set her down. Hotaru loved being treated like a baby. "I told you! But nooo, you didn't believe me." She laughed and sat next to Setsuna.  
  
"How is Hotaru your daughter?" Jaedite asked. "She looks nothing like you, and doesn't even have the same last name."  
  
Setsuna closed her eyes. "Her father was killed in an accident five years ago. I took her in, because I have raised her many times before. She's," she looked at Hotaru, "one of the Senshi." Setsuna continued. "And Rei, I can't easily understand why you ran away from the Senshi. That is really terrible. And I understand that the Senshi are unable to transform?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," Rei said.  
  
"That's strange," Setsuna said, then stood up. "Well, I am sorry to wake the both of you. It was really lovely to see you again, Rei."  
  
Hotaru frowned and jumped up and down. "Are we leaving already?"  
  
"Yes, Hotaru," she said and picked up her purse.  
  
"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Jaedite asked. "If not, you are welcome to stay here. The couch folds out into a bed."  
  
Setsuna looked around. "Well, we were going to go back to Pluto today to stay or rent a hotel, but staying here would be lovely."  
  
"You came all the way from Pluto?!" Rei asked, stunned.  
  
"Hotaru here told me it was an emergency." Setsuna winked and for the first time, Rei saw her smile. She looked much more like Rei when she smiled, and Jaedite was amazed.  
  
"Well, you are welcome to stay here!" Jaedite said as he clapped his hands together. "I'll go get the blankets." He grabbed the house key and walked down the apartment hallway to the storeage room just down the hall.  
  
"He seems like such a nice man. Why did the scouts reject him?" Setsuna asked as she and Rei pulled out the couch bed.  
  
"I don't know. They just didn't trust him. I can't stand people who judge people before they know them." Rei frowned and sat on the bed once they were finished. "But he treats me great and is a wonderful and caring person. I love him."  
  
Setsuna sat up straight and looked around the room. Hotaru was staring blankly at pictures that lined the room and pointing and laughing. "I also heard," Setsuna began, "that Grandpa Hino passed away. Is that true?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You don't seem angry," Setsuna said.  
  
"I'm over it now..."   
  
"You can never be over loss, Rei, never."  
  
Rei looked at Setsuna. If Setsuna said something, it was true, final, without a doupt: correct. She nodded and rocked her feet. It was going to be a long visit, Rei thought. And Setsuna would probably try to get the Senshi back to together and maybe even comfront Usagi for her stubborn attitude toward her own scout. That was not leader-like, she explained with a frown. Setsuna seemed mostly offended that no one told her and also guilty that she didn't know. But one thing was for sure, she was going to visit the Senshi tomorrow and say something to them. And whatever Setsuna said was final.

* * *

So, Setsuna now arrived to Tokyo to take care of some unwanted business. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was quick.


	9. The Runaway

Hey everyone! Miyame here. I hope you are all enjoying the fanfic so far. Nice to see you all are interested in continuing. This one will have to be my favorite chapter so far. **So far. **I hope you like as much as I do!

* * *

"Rei.... Rei..."  
  
Rei opened one eye with a groan to see Hotaru sitting on the edge of her bed, poking at her side. She was still in her purple night gawn and her hair was pinned up into a bun, similar to Setsuna's. The morning dew shone through the window and Rei could tell it was already morning. "Hotaru..?"  
  
"Morning Sleeping Beauty," Hotaru said with a giggle. She looked over at Jaedite and tapped his foot. He instantly opened his eyes. "Morning Jaedite!"  
  
"What time is it?" he asked and sat up with a yawn.  
  
"7 in the morning," Hotaru answered with a smile. She hopped off the bed and stared at the two. "Rei, you and Jaedite were sure quiet last night. Was it because you had company?"  
  
After hearing these words, Rei turned a bright red. "Wha... what?"  
  
"You know. You two were quiet. Adults who sleep in the same bed are never quiet. Was it because you have company?" Her eyes shone a light purple, as if she was trying to understand.  
  
Jaedite laughed nervously. "Well, you see-"  
  
"Hotaru?!" Hotaru looked to the door and saw Setsuna standing there with her hands on her hips. "Hotaru, what are you doing in their bedroom? Come on out of there!"  
  
"I was just asking them why they were so quiet last night, mom!"  
  
Setsuna turned a light pink and looked from Rei to Jaedite. "I'm sorry about this, you two. Hotaru, let's go and change. Now."  
  
Hotaru shrugged, took Setsuna's hand, and skipped out of the room; a string of curses attached as Setsuna left. Jaedite and Rei sat quiet for a while, then Jaedite spoke. "Rei, I think Hotaru WANTS us to be... noisy."  
  
Rei shook her head and stared at the blanket. "She was saying things only as kids say them."  
  
---  
  
Rei walked from the bedroom and down the hallway. The couch was still pulled out into a bed, but the covers neatly made up. She could hear giggles coming from the bathroom, so she walked over by the door. "What's so funny, you two?" she asked as she stared at Setsuna and Hotaru.  
  
"I was trying to explain to Hotaru that a razor is not a toy," Setsuna said as she switched the razor back and forth.  
  
"But Rei, I thought men are the only ones who shave!" Hotaru said back.  
  
"Women do, too, Hotaru. Just not as often as men." Rei couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Ohh," she looked to her mother. "Why didn't you just say that, momma?"  
  
Setsuna sighed and reached into the medicine cabinet for some facewash. "Mind if I use some, Rei?"  
  
"No, go ahead."   
  
She watched Setsuna clean off her face and then helped Hotaru. Setsuna looks so much like my mother, Rei thought as she studied them. The same eyes. Setsuna's nightwear was a simple white long sleeved button up pajama top that fell to right below her hips; her panties a light shade of purple. Hotaru was now tugging on the night shirt and Setsuna kept slapping her hand away.  
  
"Where did you get that top, Setsuna. It's really cute."  
  
She looked at Rei from the corner of her eye as she brushed her hair. "Michiru picked this up for me at some store in Kyoto. I really loved the design, how it has a split to the waist and the rest just falls, so I asked her if I can have it. I also love how the sleeves are big on me." She turned around and let her arms loose and demonstrated how the bell sleeves covered her hands. "I love it."  
  
"Oh, Kyoto, huh?" Rei looked at the ground. What style, she thought. Setsuna nodded and continued to brush her hair. "Rei, you should get ready, too. I already called a meeting and we are to be there in one hour."  
  
"Oh! Thank you, Setsuna. I'll get ready at once." Rei spun from the bathroom and could hear Hotaru slam the door shut. She rushed back into the bedroom where Jaedite was just sitting up again.  
  
"Jed, Setsuna called a meeting and I have to be there in an hour. Are you going to come?"  
  
Jaedite nodded, reached over to his drawer, and grabbed a plain white tank top. "I'll go."  
  
---  
  
"We are here!" Hotaru called out and put her purse on the nearby chair. Soon, the emptiness of the house rang with Hotaru's name and Chibiusa bolted from the living room. "Hotaru! Setsuna! You made it!" Chibiusa embraced the two in her arms and then around Rei and Jaedite. "Hi!"  
  
Rei smiled back and watched as Ami walked into the kitchen. She took one look at Rei and turned back. "Everyone, they are here."  
  
Setsuna led the group into the living room where Usagi, Ami, Minako, Makoto, and Mamoru sat. Usagi sat on the arm of Mamoru's chair, Minako on the floor next to Chibiusa, Makoto with one elbow on the chair's arm, and Ami with her hands on her lap. Setsuna sat on the chair across from them all with Hotaru standing up next to her, leaning on the arm. Rei took a seat beside her and Jaedite standing behind her. "Hello, scouts. Thank you for coming," Setsuna began.  
  
"How have you been, Setsuna?" Amy asked politely, not eager to start the conversation.  
  
"Pretty well, Ami. Thank you for asking." She looked to the group of girls, then at Mamoru. "Do you know why I called you all here?"  
  
"Judging by the bitch sitting beside you, I guess to talk about the last five years," Makoto said without opening her eyes.   
  
"Watch your tone around Hotaru," Setsuna snapped back at her. "I do not appreciate cursing at all. You are an idiot to even speak it."  
  
Makoto shrugged it off.  
  
"What is the problem, Suna-chan?"  
  
"That nickname is reserved for the scouts who actually have respect for me. Right now, none of you do, expect Rei here." Setsuna's eyes snapped at Ami who gave the question. "I am here to get the bottom of this."  
  
"It's all Rei's fault for running away!" Usagi burst out.  
  
"What is her fault?"  
  
"It's her fault for falling in love with that basterd who threatened to destroy the Moon Kingdom years ago! It's her fault for running away and it's her fault we are unable to transform!"  
  
Rei gripped the red chair cushion. "And Mamoru was never brainwashed and threatened to kill us all?! Huh?!"  
  
"That is different. I love Mamoru," Usagi yelled back.  
  
"And Rei loves Jaedite!" Minako snapped at Usagi.  
  
"Wait a minute..."  
  
Everyone looked up at Setsuna. "Are you telling me... this arguement was because Usagi was against Jaedite for attacking us years ago?" Everyone was quiet. "I can't believe you all! You are mad at Rei for falling in love with Jaedite because he attacked us before?! HE WAS BRAINWASHED BY BERYL, you KNOW that, Usagi! What is your problem?"  
  
"She doesn't love Jaedite! She doesn't know what love is!" Usagi yelled, standing up.  
  
"You do not know how Rei feels about Jaedite. You can not say she doesn't know what love is if you can't feel her pain right now!" It was silent as the faces turned and stared at Hotaru, who turned red with anger and had her fists jammed down to her waist. "You only asume Rei does not know true love because you think you're the only one who knows love, Usagi!"  
  
Jaedite walked over to Hotaru and bent down beside her. He took her hands and held them in his, then looked back up at the girls.  
  
"So, you are on HIS side?" Makoto asked, standing up now. "Well! What is it, Hotaru?"  
  
She looked at Jaedite. "Jaedite... is a very kind man. He gave Setsuna and I a place to stay... and helped us move in for a good night's sleep..." She remembered him carry the bundle of blankets into the room then fell and dropped the sheets on Hotaru, who was busting into a laughter. "He isn't the person you think he is. He is back to the person he was before Beryl got to him...." Tears ran burning down her cheeks. "And if you can't see that, you don't know what love IS!"  
  
Then, Hotaru let free from Jaedite's grip and ran past Usagi. She dodged the arms and hands that tried to hold her back, muted the screams of her name, and ran from Setsuna who chased her from the room.

* * *

-=tear=- Ah. My favorite character yet. To me, this one has the most detail. I don't know what it is about it. I just love this chapter. ...look for more!


	10. Mercury Down

Back for more, I see? Well, enjoy the search for Hotaru in **Mercury Down.**

_**Author's Note: **In the story, you will come across (' s a lot. This means the other conversation on the communicator between the Senshi. Keep that in mind. It is meant to show the other line of the conversation._

**

* * *

**   
  
Rei plopped onto the couch and covered her face in her hands. Her bag sat beside her, next to her communicator and her lipstick. She stretched out, groaned, and closed her eyes with pictures of Hotaru running through her mind. "Where could she be?"  
  
Just then, Jaedite entered the house and closed the door behind him. He put his jacket on the rack and walked over to Rei. "No luck, either?"  
  
"No, not at all. I don't know where she could be."  
  
It was twelve thirty in the morning and everyone was out looking for Hotaru. It was the only time in five years since the Senshi Communicators were put to good use; Rei kept hers on beside her, just in case anyone found her or knew her whereabouts. And it was the only time they set aside their differences.  
  
"Rei, I think I know where Hotaru could be," Usagi said through the communicator as Rei opened it. "Chibiusa stated that she could have run away to the park. That's where she went when she first came to Tokyo from the future, remember?"  
  
"Yes. Should I go check?"  
  
"Sure. And bring a flashlight. It's pitch black out here! Good thing we have the streetlights, but I doupt any are in the park."  
  
Rei glanced over at Jaedite who jogged down the hall to the closet. "Okay. We'll meet you at the Icecream Parlor Entrance in ten."  
  
"You got it!"  
  
Rei hung up the communicator and stood up from the couch. "Jaedite, let's go. They think Hotaru could be at-"  
  
"The park. Yeah, I heard." He handed her the flashlight. "I just hope she's there."  
  
---  
  
By the time Rei got to the parlor, Ami, Usagi, Mamoru, Minako, and Makoto lined the street. Rei ran up to the group with Jaedite close behind. "Where is Chibiusa?" Rei asked, looking around.  
  
"She went with Setsuna to the Police Station," Ami answered as she took a step forward. "Thanks for coming to help us, Jaedite."  
  
"You didn't have to," Makoto said, with her arms folded. She didn't bother to look at him, but she hung her head to hide her blushing cheeks.  
  
"Of course I had to," he began, "Hotaru is just a child and besides, I care about her just as much as any of you do."  
  
Makoto instantly looked up at his serious, cold face and wondered vaguely why she didn't trust him in the beginning. There was a pause of silence, like everyone was thinking the same thing, then Rei spoke up. "Hey, we better get started. Let's split up. Usagi and Mamoru, come with us. The three of you go together. Do you have enough flashlights?"  
  
The girls held up their own. "Yeah. We are set."  
  
"Great. We'll go left, you three search right. Our communicators will be our walky-talkies. Call if you encounter a problem. Remember, we can't transform and who knows if this isn't a plot of revenge somehow by the enemy."  
  
Everyone gulped and nodded, then took off into the darkness of the Park.  
  
---  
  
"Damn, it sure is dark," Jaedite said, moving the flashlight around on the surface ground. This was the only flashlight in the house, so Rei had to hold onto Jaedite so she wouldn't lose him. She gripped his hand tightly everytime something scaried her.  
  
"Tell me about it," Mamoru said back, flashing his light at Usagi. "You okay back there, buns?"  
  
"Huhm?" Usagi asked, in a quivering voice as she squealed and ran behind Mamoru. "Something grabbed my leg!!!"  
  
Jaedite shined his light over to the direction that Usagi pointed to and relieved a swaying leaf. "It was a leaf, Usagi," he said calmly.  
  
"Oh..." she clinged onto Mamoru tightly and Rei bust into a laughter.  
  
"You didn't change, Meatball Head."  
  
Usagi looked over at the darkness which should have been Rei's face and stuck out her tongue. "I don't wear my hair in meatballs that much anymore! HA!"  
  
Rei smiled back at her and was glad of the darkness. She didn't want Usagi to know she smiled back at her as she stuck out her tongue from anger. At that moment, Rei's communicator rang and the group circled around. "What's up?" She asked, talking back to the darkened face.  
  
("Shine the flashlight on the screen, Minako!") she could hear Ami say. Soon, Ami's face was visible and those worried eyes appeared. ("We didn't find Hotaru, but we did find Michiru's Deep Aqua Mirror by the lake.")  
  
"The lake?!" Rei asked. "What is Michiru's Mirror doing there?"  
  
("I do recall Hotaru telling me that Michiru lent her the mirror while she came to Tokyo to keep in touch. Hotaru must have been here, but something must have happened. She wouldn't have just abandoned the mirror by the lake shore.")  
  
"Do you think someone kidnapped her?" Usagi asked, looking past Rei's head. She handed over the communicator.  
  
("Maybe. But I think we should get out of here at once. Something or someone is watching us. They are following us!")  
  
"How do you know, Ami?"  
  
("Because this shadowy figure keeps flashing past us and Makoto is getting weird vibes. We should leave at once!")  
  
"Well let's go. I don't want to take any chances," Jaedite said, looking into the communicator. "Meet us by the Entrance as soon as you can. Do not leave that spot!"  
  
He shut of the communicator and handed it to Rei, then faced the group of worried faces. Giving Rei's shoulder a squeeze, he turned around and the group ran and tried to retrace their steps.  
  
---  
  
Ami quickly bolted around and faced the group of girls. "Come on! We have to keep moving!"  
  
"We can't Ami," Makoto said, looking around. "There are more of those creatures. They are in the bushes, watching us. If we make any sudden movements..."  
  
Ami frowned and reached into her pocket. She pulled out her Mini Computer that looked brand new and Minako broke into a wide smile. "Sailor Mercury... didn't lose her spirit."  
  
Ami faced the rustling bushes and focused the Mini Computer. It took a while to respond, but soon three life forces soon appeared blurry on the screen and looked somewhat like wolves. She grinned. "Mako-chan, they are just animals-" She stepped back and dropped the computer. "Mako... Mina... get out of there.."  
  
"What?"  
  
"RUN!"  
  
The three wolves burst from the bushes and lept onto Ami, pinning her to the ground. The other two stayed close by, then eyed the screaming Minako. Its eyes rang with a deep blue color, then yellow, green, pink, then red, and then silver. It took a step forward and its paw print left a silver glowing mark. "AMI!"  
  
The two of them ran toward the girls and Makoto stood in front of Minako. She did a spinning kick and knocked the first one back into the second. Then, Makoto grabbed Minako's arm, spun around, and ran the opposite way. "But what about Ami?!" Minako screamed, looking back at the hudle. Now, the wolves began to chase after them again.   
  
"We have to tell the scouts!" She took the communicator from her jacket pocket and panted as she ran faster. Minako kept looking back, then stopping every now and then to throw a rock at them.   
  
("Makoto?")  
  
Makoto smiled lightly at the sight of Rei's face in the communicator. "Rei, these wolves things are chasing us. It got Ami!"  
  
("Wolves?! Like the animal?")  
  
"This isn't an ordinary animal, Rei! It's the enemy! It must be! Wolves' eyes do not glow silver and blue!"  
  
("Where are you?")  
  
Makoto looked up and shined the flashlight around. "We are by the swings, the playground. Ami fell way back, toward the flower bed. Meet us at the playground and hurry!"  
  
("We'll be right there!" Rei faced the group. "Mako's in trouble!")  
  
Makoto closed the communicator and Minako gasped. "Mako, they are gaining on us!" She held her flashlight by the grip. "I have to throw it!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"We will still have yours. This is the only heavy thing we have and it will slow them down!"  
  
Makoto looked back at the snipping teeth of the monsters that followed close behind. "Throw it!"  
  
Minako aimed quickly and threw it at the face of the first wolf. It yelped, and lay still on the ground as the other stopped to aid it. She smiled and turned back around. "I think I blinded it!"  
  
Makoto shook her head, smiling, and finally reached the park. "Come on. We have to get to the top before they come back!" Makoto helped Minako up as she climbed up the bar and sat on top of the swing set. Once Minako did so, she pointed to the distance. "Mako, they are back!" She turned around and lost grip of pole and faced the two wolves that pounded toward her; the one Minako hit had blood streaming down it's face and over it's right eye. "MAKO! Come on!"  
  
Makoto began to climb the pole and Minako reached out. She grabbed her hand and tried to support her weight on the pole, then slid back down. "MAKO! Try again! Hurry!" She frowned and hopped back onto the pole; now the wolves came closer. She slid off again. "MAKO!!"  
  
"Aku Ryo Tai Sen!"  
  
The fire attack shot from the far distance and knocked both wolves across the playground. Rei lowered her hand from the attack with a scroll in hand. "Haven't done that in a while," she whispered, smiling.  
  
Jaedite ran over to Makoto and grabbed her wrist. "Go on. I'll help you up. It's too dangerous to fight without any magic."  
  
Makoto looked at him, nodded, and hopped up the pole with his help. Minako hugged her tightly once she sat down beside her. By now, Usagi and Mamoru made their way over to the swing set. "Are you guys alright?!" Usagi asked, calling up to the girls that rocked on the swing pole.  
  
"We are fine, just tired. But Ami is the one we should be worried about!"  
  
"Yeah," Minako said, pointing to the distance. "There were three wolves, one for each of use, and the third one never came back. We think it still has Ami!"  
  
"What exactly was it?" Usagi asked.  
  
Makoto thought for a moment, then drew her communicator from her pocket. "See for yourself." She tossed the compact down and it fell in Usagi's palm. "Press the green button on the right. It will show the last taken picture, and that, would be that beast."  
  
Usagi did as she was told and the picture revealed what looked like a wolf with human eyes. The eyes were cold, and in the picture, they were light blue. "You see, Usagi," Minako began, "the monster's eyes kept changing colors! It turned blue, yellow, green, pink, then red!"  
  
Usagi shook her head. "Changed... colors?"  
  
"Yes. And in that order!"  
  
By now, Rei backed away and held her scroll at hand. "Guys, the wolves are recovering!"  
  
Everyone turned and watched the wolves get back to their feet. Mamoru instantly wrapped Usagi in his arms and she buried half her face in his sleeve. Jaedite joined Rei's side and grabbed her hand. "Ready to fight?"  
  
She nodded. "It might be hard for me; I haven't fought in years and I only have one magic."  
  
"Try and remember. You can do many things with your scroll. Just try and remember." Rei faced the wolves and now, let go of Jaedite's hand. They lept toward them and their roars rang through the park grounds.

* * *

Wow. Rei's first fight in years. Stay tuned for the next chapter, **"Silver Maiden / Mako's Sorrow."**


	11. Silver Maiden, Mako's Sorrow

**Chapter Ten: Silver Maiden / Mako's Sorrow  
**

"Aku Ryo Tai Sen!" Rei called as one wolf lept toward her. It dodged the attack quickly and landed on the opposite side of Rei. She turned and stared at it.  
  
Jaedite held out his hand and a flaming kodachi appeared in his grip. He stood still, as the wolf lept toward him. Quickly, he moved up one step and swung his hand toward in a slick motion and instantly cut the wolf down its body. Blood split from its side and Jaedite flicked it off from his blade in one quick swipe.   
  
Minako cheered cheerfully and clapped about as she watched the couple fight. "Rei didn't lose her touch, and Jaedite is something else! They make such a great team!" She stared starry eyed at the two and that caught Makoto's attention. She gripped the pole under her and sighed.   
  
Usagi watched with anger, jealously, and was slightly thankful that atleast one of them had some magic left in them. Watching Jaedite, it was the first time she was thankful for him.  
  
Rei smiled and ran up to her opponent. "Aku Ryo-"  
  
"Silver Stars!"  
  
Rei flinched when she heard the wolf call an attack and three stars spun toward her. She felt Jaedite wrap his arms around her waist and slammed to the ground. He looked up at her. "Are you alright?"  
  
"What the hell..." she groaned and sat up. "That thing... just talked!" The two wolves stood beside each other, their eyes glowing silver. Rei, still on the ground, took out a scroll and held it tightly. "What... did you do with Ami?" When it didn't answer her back, she frowned. "What did you do with AMI!"  
  
"We already took her silver heart; That's all we need for now," said the one on the right.  
  
"Her Silver Heart?" Makoto said from atop the swing set.   
  
"Yes. She was only silver, sadly, but it will add greatly to our powers. Thank you for running away and leaving her." The first one looked up at the girls with one eye. It sounded somewhat female.  
  
"What did you do to Ami?!"  
  
"Which one are you talking back?" said the second. "The girl or the child?"  
  
Usagi quickly looked up from Mamoru's arms. "There was a child?"  
  
"Yeah. The one with black hair and purple eyes-"  
  
"HOTARU?!"  
  
Makoto frowned and jumped down from the swing pole. She held up her fists and tears streamed down her cheeks. "Silver Maiden!" The first wolf looked up at her and frowned. "Show yourself!"  
  
It closed it's eyes, and the clouds split from the moon. In seconds, the body of the wolf was replaced by a beautiful girl, with phantom colored hair and silver eyes. She knealed on the wolf beside her and her hair covered her right eye; she white dress flew down to her ankles. "Makoto." She thought with a smile. "Kunzite's... girlfriend?"  
  
Everyone turned their attention to Makoto, who stood furiously with red, tight fists. Letting go of Mamoru, Usagi took a step forward and looked over at the girl. "What did you do to Hotaru? What about Ami? Tell us!"  
  
Makoto closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Usako. You obvisiously don't care about Kunzite."  
  
She looked up at her, Mamoru did the same. "Mako..."  
  
"Miss, do you claim to be Silver Maiden as Makoto stated?" Minako asked as she joined Usagi's side. Her blue eyes widened with the scence of thrill of the upcoming battle.  
  
"Yes, I am Silver Maiden." She turned and petted the wolf that sat beside her. "I came here for power. Crystal energy. I was drawn to the Senshi of Destruction and the Senshi of Ice first." She smiled at the silver coated beast that came running from behind. It's eyes glowed blue. "Ah, I see you took the power of that girl. Good job." Silver Maiden laughed evilly and faced the group of girls. "Your end will come soon. I will be back for the orange light." Holding out her hand, a silver orb formed in her palm.  
  
Rei took out a scroll and began to run for Silver Maiden. "Aku Ryo.." She let it fly. "Tai Sen!"  
  
Before it could pierce Silver Maiden, she swished the blue orb to her side and vanished, leaving the fire to continue casting to the sky.  
  
---  
  
Usagi sat on the couch of the Hikawa Temple next to Mamoru in silence. Minako brought her knees to her chin and rested her cheek on them with her eyes closed; Rei paced back and forth in the room while Jaedite leaned against the wall with folded arms.  
  
It was three in the morning now, and with the sudden shock of the missing Hotaru and Ami, everyone was silent in disbelief. Minako cried silently to herself as she remembered the encounter of the wolves, wishing she would have stopped to help poor Ami. She shook back the tears. "Sailor Venus would never leave her friend behind. Maybe... I'm not Sailor Venus anymore."  
  
Everyone seemed to have put their differences aside about the whole running away incident, but it was still vaguely in their minds. Rei only wondered why the girls didn't say a word about her being able to use magic. "You can use that magic if you are Sailor Mars or not," she remembers Jaedite telling her. Now, she believed him.  
  
Everyone's heads quickly turned to the door when it slowly slid open; their tears followed along. Setsuna and Chibiusa soon appeared in the doorway and without saying a word, the little girl burst into tears. She hid her face in her father's shirt while Usagi patted her back chanting, "The girls will be okay. We'll get them back."  
  
Setsuna just stood in the doorway and until the moonlight shined through the window, did Jaedite notice she was crying. He instantly ran to her and she rested her forehead on his shoulder and stood shivering, while he touched her cheeks and whiped her tears away. It was only after an hour, once everyone began to fall asleep in their position, did they notice Makoto wasn't with them.  
  
---  
  
Makoto leaned against the railing and looked to the distance of the lake. Few cars zipped by on the rode beside her, but when they did, they all stopped to look. Her hands were cold as ice as she took breathes of the white air and pretended to hold it in her hand for a while. And looking up to the sky, she could only see one person in every single black cloud.  
  
"Kunzite..."  
  
Memories of him quickly filled her mind and the fact the person that killed him stood in front of her two hours ago made her shake with anger. She pounded her fist against the cold railing repeatedly until her fist was no longer white. "I should have killed her, but I couldn't. I didn't have my power..." she remembered the battle, the fierce fighting Rei and her lover, Jaedite, taking on the two wolves; fighting for something more, something... hidden.  
  
"I couldn't stop her before... and I can't stop her now..." Tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed onto the railing. She watched it instantly turn to ice, as she took out her communicator and tossed it into the water. Then, she quickly turned and walked down the road, keeping one eye on the lake the whole time.  
  
---  
  
It was a quiet morning when Rei opened her eyes to find she was back at home. She sat up and found herself changed into her night shirt and her clothes from yesterday folded neatly on the chair opposite the bed. Without calling his name, Jaedite walked into the room with a toothbrush stuck in his mouth, a towel hanging around his neck, and his black boxers on. "Morning, Rei," he mumbled as he switched the toothbrush to a different side of his mouth. Blue soap surrounded his light pink lips.  
  
"Jaedite... when did we get home? I don't remember a thing."  
  
Jaedite put up a finger and walked from the room, then in seconds came back in as he cleaned the soap from his mouth. "We came home after 4 a.m. Mamoru drived us because you were sleeping." He looked down at the covers. "I dressed you, also, and put you to bed."  
  
"Oh." Rei stared at him. There were bandages wrapped around his right arm from his shoulder to his elbow. She gasped and inched closer. "What happened?!"  
  
He touched the bandages gently. "From the battle yesteday."  
  
She sat up in shook and gripped the covers in her hands. "That wasn't a dream?"  
  
He laughed lightly and shook his head. "No. It wasn't," then he touched his lip, "I don't know why, but my lip was sore also. Maybe that wolf did more damage to me than I thought."  
  
Rei leaned forward and touched the bruise on his lip, then kissed him gently. "...did that hurt?"  
  
He looked up at her and stared, then shook his head. "Not much."

* * *

Fweh. Sorry this chapter seemed a little shorter than the rest. The company today was overloaded. -=glares at the boys in the house=- I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	12. Farewell, My Love

_Ah, the next chapter to Tears for Fire. I have been working on it off and on all of today. It's after 8 pm now, and I finally got it done. It's a very sad chapter, and I hope you like it. Reviews are welcome.

* * *

_

**Chapter Eleven : Farewell, My Love!  
**  
_We have to find them..._

_It's all your fault..._

_It's all your fault...  
_  
---  
  
Rei lay awake in bed that next morning with her eyes focused on the white walls of the apartment house. It was around ten in the morning and she had been up since six. Soon, Jaedite groaned and reached his arm across her. "Rei..." She looked over her shoulder to notice Jaedite was talking in his sleep. He mumbled something, then began to talk louder. "It's not your fault... Mako is running away... we have to save three lives now..."  
  
As if that made me feel better, she thought, as she inched from under Jaedite's arms and walked from the bedroom. Setsuna was sitting up awake on the couch; she was already dressed and had her transformation pen on the side of her, next to the garnet orb. Rei lightly stepped toward her and Setsuna instantly looked up. "Morning... Rei."  
  
"Good morning," she answered back and sat down next to her. Setsuna impatiently brushed away the tears that wandered down her cheeks and stared at the ground. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Of course not," Setsuna answered with a small chuckle. Then her smile vanished with a frown. "What about you?"  
  
Rei moved around in her seat and sat with her legs crossed on the couch. "I slept alright, if you ignore the haunting voices of everyone who claims this is all my fault."  
  
Setsuna shook her head. "Just because Usagi claims you are the cause of Hotaru and Ami's disappearance because of the lost power, does not mean it's true."  
  
"I know," Rei said to her.  
  
"It's really their fault for not excepting kind and gentle Jaedite. If they weren't so stubborn," Setsuna sighed, "If they weren't so stubborn, Hotaru would be here."  
  
"No," Rei said. Setsuna looked over at her. "Hotaru only came... because she heard of the Senshi breaking up. If I never ran away, she would have never came to settle it, and we would have our power to fight this enemy." She stared at the ground and rocked slightly back and forth. "We need our power."  
  
Setsuna stood up. "I heard you and Jaedite put up a great fight last night in the park. Your fire magic... was fabulous?"  
  
"Who said that?" Rei asked, knowing someone must have said something to her due to the fact Setsuna was at the Police Station.  
  
"Minako," she simply said and walked over to the door.  
  
By now, Jaedite wandered into the room as he tried to fix his messy hair. "Morning Rei," he said kissing her cheek, "Morning Setsuna." Setsuna took her hand off the doornob and turned around. "Are... you going somewhere?" He asked.  
  
Setsuna smiled. "Yes. I'm going back to Pluto to inform Michiru and Haruka. We will be back in Tokyo to fight soon." She paused. "I just know Michiru will be upset at Usagi, and Haruka will be upset at Makoto's behavior."  
  
"Aww. Well, it was nice having you stay with us. Please, do visit again. You can sleep over any time." And Jaedite smiled widely, that famous grin of his.  
  
Setsuna nodded. "Thank you, Jaedite. You are truely a wonderful man." She turned and opened the door and tucked her tranformation pen and her Garnet Orb into her bag. "I'll teleport from the park, just keep this on you for communication." She tossed over a purple communicator with stickers on the cover. "It's Hotaru's."  
  
Rei held it in her hands and nodded. "I'll take care of it, Suna-chan."  
  
Setsuna then took one step out the door, "And Jaedite, you take care of Rei." She closed the door behind her and walked slowly down the sidewalk past the window.  
  
---  
  
Rei opened the slide door to the Hikawa Temple with Jaedite's arm around her shoulder. "You wanted us to meet here, Usagi?" she asked as she faced the blonde girl who sat in the far end of the room with Mamoru. Jaedite smiled as a hello.  
  
"Yes, Luna wanted to call a meeting with the remaining... girls, so here we are." Usagi didn't bother to look up at the two. Deep down, she still held a grudge and blamed Rei for the disappearences. Rei nodded and sat down in the chair Jaedite pulled out for her and looked around.   
  
"Why... did you decide to meet in the Temple?" Rei asked.  
  
Usagi closed her eyes and folded her arms. Her sugar pink purse crushed beside her jiggled while she moved positions. "Luna said something about meeting an old friend here. Some guy; she didn't tell me."   
  
"Oh."  
  
"But," her eyes narrowed. "But, she said some hearts will break.... due to his arrival."  
  
Rei shrugged. "Where is Minako? What about Chibiusa? Are they here?"  
  
"She's getting a snack."  
  
"Chibiusa?"  
  
"No, Minako." Usagi giggled.  
  
Jaedite sighed and walked out of the room. "I'll go help them."  
  
It was quiet for a while; either girl dared to look at the other, so they just sat with their heads down. Both had something on their mind. Rei was more worried about the meeting and why Luna suddenly called one, and Usagi was more worried about Hotaru and Ami. But when she felt it was safe, Usagi looked up at Rei with saddened eyes. "And it's your heart that will break when you find out who's coming..."  
  
Now, Luna stepped into the room with Chibiusa at her side. "Hello, Rei," Luna said. "It's been a while since I've seen you. My, oh my, have you grown."  
  
Luna stepped over to Rei and hopped onto her lap. Her eyes, like Ami's, seemed colder and lost its sparkle. As a matter of fact, everyone's eyes seemed to have grown colder as the years went by of heart break. Rei's eyes, too, were cold but light up with excitement, unlike everyone else. Luna tried her best to smile, but you can tell it was half fake and half painful. "I missed you, Luna," Rei said softly as she stroked her fur.  
  
"And I missed you, Rei," she said, then hopped off her lap. "We all do."  
  
Rei looked up at Usagi who had turned her head at Luna's last remark. Something in Usagi's eyes, that kept glancing over to Rei, made her smile. "So, shall we get this meeting underway?" Rei asked.  
  
Usagi looked up at her. "I wouldn't be too eager to cry," she said coldly.  
  
Luna snapped her eyes at her and looked over at Rei. "Rei, someone has come today... to see you. Again."  
  
"Oh? And who would that be?" She asked, in a cold and exciting manner.  
  
Luna faced the door and motioned her head to the person standing outside. The person got up from their position, slowly walked over to the door, and slide it open. Rei gasped. "Yuuichirou!"  
  
By now, Minako and Jaedite had stepped back in. Minako gasped also and dropped the tray of cookies. Jaedite just stood there with a grin. Without saying a word, Usagi stood up from the chair and walked over to Minako, took her hand, and pulled her from the room and down the hall. Jaedite stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Yuuichirou. Nice to see you again."  
  
He didn't smile, just kept his eyes on Rei as he made his way over to her. She looked up at his big, brown eyes that seemed full of sorrow. "Yuuichiro-"  
  
And then, through the pain of moment, he bent over with both his hands on her cheeks and kissed her. As soon as he did so, Jaedite ran over and pushed him away, looking down at him on the floor with a flaming kodachi in his hand. "What the hell, Yuuichirou?!"  
  
Rei looked over at him on the floor as she kept her fingers on her lips. "Yuuichi-chan...?"  
  
He smiled weakly and groaned as Jaedite dug his foot into his stomach. "Yuuichirou! I trusted you around Rei! What the hell is your problem?!"  
  
He opened one eye, gritted his teeth, and looked over at Rei. "I should have told her sooner. Five years ago, before she met you and before she fell in love..." He tried his best to stand up and knealed on chair next to him. "I love you, Rei."  
  
You can see the shadows from behind the door sway slightly back and forth, and Luna quickly lept over and walked out; yelps were heard as the girl squealed and ran down the hall from Luna. Something in that moment, through the raged Jaedite, made Rei smile. She hadn't seen the two girls squeal in years.  
  
Now, Jaedite held the kodachi to Yuuichirou's throat. "I could kill you right now for even touching her! Let alone kiss her!" Yuuichirou stood still, eyes still on Rei, who still sat in the chair in shock. "After the planning, the planning for you to see her again, after all that you pull this-" he went on, a strip of curse words wrapped in knots and threatening Yuuichirou with everything under the sun. "You won't see Rei again!" He reached back, the kodachi blasting red, with a frown on his face. Then, he rushed it toward Yuuichirou.  
  
"STOP!"  
  
He turned to Rei who stood up now in tears with her fists jammed to her sides. Jaedite lowered the kodachi, but swished it quickly and wripped the skin on his arm. Yuuichirou groaned and held his arm as blood rolled down onto his hand. "...Rei?"  
  
She stood, looking at the two, trying her best to see through blurry eyes. "Don't... don't take another one away from me..."   
  
Jaedite's kodachi vanished in his grip and he walked over to Rei. "Do you... choose him?"  
  
Rei was silent, just kept crying. "Just... don't hurt him."  
  
Jaedite stared at her in silence for a long while then opened the slide door and closed it behind him. Yuuichirou looked at Rei in silence as she knealed over and sobbed. Soon, Minako and Usagi appeared again in the doorway and Yuuichirou still stared, his arm still bleeding, but that didn't seem to matter. He saw Rei again. He told her what he felt for years.  
  
And Rei thought Jaedite would never come back.


	13. I'm Gonna Fight

Yes, yes. It's been a long time since I updated this. No use giving excuses...  
  
Thank you, Yari-chan, for kicking my butt in gear. This one's mainly for you.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: I'm Gonna Fight**  
  
Rei ran from the room and out the door. She jumped down the stairs of the Dojo and hurried around the corner; she could still hear Yuuichirou screaming her name. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she impatiently brushed them away. She was too worried to think. She just kept running, and at first, she wondered where she was running to. It wasn't until it started raining when she finally thought: home.  
  
She hurried up the stairs and stepped in the puddles that formed from the pouring rain on her doorstep. The front door of the apartment house is always open, so she just ran in. Her hair stuck close to her body and soaked her clothes untirely. By the time she reached the second floor, her whole body was wet.  
  
Rei ran up to the door and turned the handle. It didn't open. Then she banged on the door. "Jaedite! Jaedite, are you in there? Jaedite!"  
  
There was no answer; no figure moving across the floor, no stirring in the whole house. She looked under the rug. No key. No note. Now, she turned from the door and spun down the hallway and out the front door. It was pouring harder than when she came in. "No where to go..." she said to herself and just stood in the rain with her head hanging low.  
  
Soon, she felt someone walking toward her. She didn't think too much of it, until her old priestess kimono fell on her shoulders that streamed to the ground and an umbrella was stuck over her head. She didn't need to turn to know who it was. "I'm sorry... Rei."  
  
---  
  
::I insist you stay the night.::  
  
She remembered what Yuuichirou just told her as he closed the door to his house behind her. She stood, baffled, as a butler quickly hurried over to her. "Your clothes are soaked, ma' lady! Hurry, so you can change!" He took her hand and rushed over to the left set of chairs that met the right set in the center.  
  
In fifteen minutes, the butler showed Rei to the kitchen, where Yuuichirou sat at the bar and watched the chef cook dinner. He bowed, and in a flash, was gone from the kitchen and down the long hallway. Rei lightly stepped up to Yuuichirou and stared at him. He took his eyes off the chef and smiled at her. "I see he picked a nice yukata. Fits you perfectly. And suger pink is a cute color for you." Even though Yuuichirou was sitting down, his eyes met Rei's. She just stared at him and he laughed again. "Something wrong?"  
  
"Yes," Rei said simply.  
  
"...what's that?"  
  
"What happened between you and Jaedite?"  
  
Yuuichirou sighed and motioned for her to sit down. "I have been friends with Jaedite for years. I told him I really wanted to see you again as long as I didn't pull anything. He was kind and said he would let me see you again." He closed his eyes. "I came by tonight by surprise. I had to tell you, Rei. I had to tell you I loved you-"  
  
"So you kiss me in front of my boyfriend and expect for him to just smile?!"  
  
The chef now looked over at the two, then quickly turned away.  
  
Yuuichirou felt the bandages on his arm. "I rather die knowing you knew how I felt, then live with myself knowing you have no idea."  
  
Rei was speachless, just frowned and turned her head to face the chef. "So.. where did he go?"  
  
"I don't know. All I know he, he wants to kill me now." He laughed. "But thanks to you, he can't without his lover getting angry. I guess you do have feelings for me, too."  
  
Rei looked over at him. He wasn't the same Yuuichirou she remembered from five years ago. He didn't blush or stutter when he talked to Rei like he used to. Then it came to her mind that he once did mention he was rich, just decided to stay at the Hikawa Temple because... he cared for Rei.  
  
"Once you left the temple," Yuuichirou said, reading her mind, "I had no purpose to stay, so I left too."  
  
Rei covered her face in her hands. "Everything is my fault.."  
  
Yuuichirou didn't say anything, just put his arm across her shoulder. When she didn't push it away, he smiled. "I'll show you to your room."  
  
---  
  
Rei bounced lightly on the huge, rounded bed that Yuuichirou assigned for her. The butler stood on the side. "Is this pleasing you, Ms. Hino?"  
  
"Yes," Rei said with a smile. "Thank you very much."  
  
He nodded, bowed, and walked from the bedroom. Yuuichirou walked over the room. "I always... kept this room safe. No one has ever stayed in this guest room before."  
  
"Oh?" Rei asked. "Why?"  
  
"I've been saving it for you," he said, lightly blushing.  
  
Rei smiled. ::That's the old Yuuichirou.:: She was silent at his comment, but still smiled when he turned and looked at her. "Thank you, Yuuichirou... for letting me stay."  
  
"I couldn't leave you alone in the rain," he said, turning away from her.  
  
"Yes you could," Rei added smartly. "You just didn't want to."  
  
He looked over his shoulder. "You're right. I always wanted you here. I didn't want you in the rain." Then, he walked out and closed the door behind him.  
  
Rei stared off into the light of the room for a while as she took her hair out from the bun. Everyone came to her mind. Grandpa Hino and Yuuichirou in the days of the Temple, when Rei would yell at him for sweeping in the wrong direction. She realized now she only fussed with him to simply say something to him. All those feelings are building up now.  
  
She thought of Makoto; she hasn't seen her since the inncident in the park. No one has heard from her and never got through to her communicator. Silver Maiden still had Hotaru and Ami captive. ::I guess everyone is waiting for Setsuna to return to start the fighting:: Rei thought. Setsuna. She remembered.  
  
_And Jaedite, you take care of Rei._  
  
Her eyes when she said that; did she know Jaedite was going to run away from Rei? Setsuna knew something was going to happen and so did Usagi.  
  
_I wouldn't be in such a hurry to cry._  
  
And then, Hotaru's voice broke through the silence.  
  
_Right. Marry Jaedite and name all the children after me. But first, go back to the scouts and fight for him and your future. I'm Sailor Saturn. I know the darkness of the future. You must go back. Soon.  
_  
"I have to go back," Rei thought to herself. "I have to go back. I have to go back. It's all my fault. It's all my fault..."  
  
_I know the darkness of the future._  
  
Rei closed her eyes. "... Jaedite's gone."  
  
---  
  
Rei hurried out of her room and down the long corridors of the mansion. The huge crystal windows reflected her reflection onto them as the rain pounded on the glass and lightning flashed everyone twenty steps. She turned left and tried her best to remember the way to Yuuichirou's bedroom. Once she found it, she knocked on the door.  
  
No one answered back, so Rei slowly opened the door and tip-toed inside, over to the hudle in Yuuichirou's bed. She stood, staring at the sleeping boy in the huge bed. The covers were black with small fireballs scattered as the design. Suddenly, Yuuichirou groaned and opened his eyes. He flinched in shock. "Rei?!" He sat up. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I've been thinking," she said. "Thinking about Jaedite."  
  
Yuuichirou grinned and closed his eyes. "Sit down." He moved over and tapped the side of the bed next to him, and Rei sat beside him. "Now what about Jaedite?"  
  
"Everyone seems to know that Jaedite was going to run away from me. Like Hotaru said she knows the darkness of the future, and Setsuna saying for Jaedite to take care of me, and Usagi saying I wouldn't be in such a hurry to cry-" Rei stopped and sighed. "I don't know.."  
  
Yuuichirou yawned and sat with his legs crossed, facing Rei. "Maybe he only left for tonight. I wouldn't blame him for being upset with me." Rei hung her head, so he continued. "How about we both check back at the apartment tomorrow morning and see if he is there? Would that make you happy?"  
  
Rei looked up and smiled, then sat with her legs crossed, facing Yuuichirou also. "Great! You would really do that?"  
  
He laughed nervously. "He'll probably try and kill me, but hey, he'll have to be there in order to!"  
  
Rei shook her head. "He won't hurt you. I won't forgive him if he does." She touched his cheek. "I had too many good times with you. We had laughter and fun, and you are a good friend of mine. Thank you, Yuuichirou."  
  
He grabbed her hand from his face and held it in both his hands. "Anything for you." Rei stared at the covers of the bed and then Yuuichirou stood up. "Come on. I'll walk you back to your room, unless you want to sleep here." He laughed.  
  
Rei grinned and stood up, too. Yuuichirou walked from the room and Rei followed behind. She stopped to look out the window; it was no longer raining and you can see the moon hovering in the sky. She turned back to catch up to Yuuichirou, and could see him walking swiftly down the corrider. She almost cried.  
  
---  
  
That next morning, Yuuichirou closed the door behind him from the huge mansion and walked up to Rei who was sitting on the steps waiting. They just finished breakfast and like Yuuichirou promised, he would take her to see if Jaedite returned to the apartment house. The whole walk to the apartment was a silent one. Rei worried Jaedite would be upset with her by staying in Yuuichirou's house for the night, and Yuuichirou worried the same.  
  
Rei slowly walked up the stairs to the house, opened the front door, and walked inside; Yuuichirou followed closely behind. The whole apartment house was dark and one part of Rei knew Jaedite wasn't going to be there. When she reached for the handle, it amazingly opened and the door swung open. She stepped inside and Yuuichirou poked his head through the door. "Jaedite?" Rei called softly, and got louder every time she got a silent answer. "Jaedite?!"  
  
She motioned for Yuuichirou to come inside and he did. He followed Rei as she searched in the bedroom. "Jaedite?"  
  
Yuuichirou studied the room and grinned. "So, this is where you two sleep..."  
  
Rei ignored his comment and walked into the living room. She sat down in front of the table and gasped. "A... note?" She opened it and read it aloud as Yuuichirou sat down beside her.  
  
_Sailor Mars,  
I have your most deepest affection: this boy who I found heartbroken. Thanks to your so-called friends, I found your idenity and your heart. I have the little girl. The older one is dead. Dare stop me. I won't stop until I get the fire...  
_  
Rei stopped reading. "The older one is dead?" She gasped. "...Ami?" She stood up suddenly. "Then, the writer must be... Silver Maiden?"  
  
_... I won't stop until I get the fire. It will be mine for the taking. I'll strike again if you don't hand it over. I have your lover. Give it up. _

_-S.M.  
_  
She clenched the note in her fist and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Ami is gone... Jaedite is taken... it's all my fault..." Yuuichirou stared off at the table and was silent. He didn't bother to wipe away her tears; you can't wipe away anger. He just sat there with his hands on his lap. Rei crunched the note up and it burst into flames in her grip. Her eyes shot red. "I'm gonna fight..."


	14. Mixed Emotions

**Chapter Thirteen: Mixed Emotions  
  
**Yuuichirou closed the door to the mansion behind him as Rei stepping inside, just like the night before. Without waiting for the butler to take her coat, Rei threw it furiously at the couch and it slipped down the arms. Yuuichirou chuckled and picked it up firmly. "The coat didn't do a thing to you, Rei. Calm down and stop making a scene."  
  
Rei turned around sharply. Her fists were tightened and her knuckled glowed white. Her face and eyes were a bright red, as if ready to cry at any moment. "You have no idea how much this hurts, Yuuichirou! So don't tell me to calm down!" She walked up to him, kicked his ankle, and swiftly turned away. She burst through the door. Three seconds past. She came stomping back. "Give me my coat!" She said, snatching it away from him and stomping back out through the kitchen doors.  
  
The butler walked quietly behind Yuuichirou and faced the doorway. "She takes more energy trying to seem upset than to be happy," he said while shaking his head. "And you say she is the Senshi of Fire? How unprodictable."  
  
"Hey," Yuuichirou said with a slight grin on his face. He looked down at the butler. "That is a secret. You can tell no one. Remember that."  
  
"Yes sir," the butler said with a sparkle in his eye. "I just love to know who is who now-a-days. I feel so special." He bowed slightly and walked off singing lowly, "I'm not an ordinary butler. I'm better than the rest...!"  
  
Yuuichirou grinned and sat down on the couch of the huge house. He brushed his hand through his shortened hair and sighed. "It's been... so long since Rei has yelled at me." He smiled.  
  
---  
  
Rei sat on her bed of the huge bedroom in her yukata. She held the note that was found in the apartment house and read it over and over until she memorized it. It didn't seem to click to her. In the letter, Silver Maiden mentioned that "her so-called friends" helped with her discovery. She couldn't have meant Usagi and the gang, could she? No. That's impossible. Why would Usagi do such a thing to help the enemy? She may be breathing down my neck with hate, but when it comes to the loving Ami, she would never put her at risk.  
  
Rei sighed and looked up to the doorway when the door slowly creaked open. The butler appeared through the crack of the door, then knocked. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you, Ms. Rei, but I brought you some tea and cookies."  
  
Rei turned and let her legs hang from the bed. "Come in."  
  
The butler nodded and slowly walked over to the bed. He laid the tray on the small table in front of her and faced her. "May I sit down?" When Rei nodded, he sat down beside her and sighed. He wasn't an old man, but he was well in the age of his late fifties. And unlike most butlers, he was very funny when he wanted to be. "Ms. Rei, I can't help but notice the feelings Sir Yuuichirou has for you."  
  
Rei closed her eyes. "Please. Call me Rei. And Yuuichirou isn't that important to have a nice 'sir' stuck before his name. Around me, you can call him Big Head."  
  
The bulter laughed and moved around a little in his seat. "Well, Rei, I can't help but notice the feelings 'Big Head' has for you." He looked at her, serious now. Rei stopped grinning. "He has always talked about you when he came back for a visit. This is his parents' old house, but they moved away about five years ago, around the time you left."  
  
Rei hung her head and put her hands on the bed covers.  
  
"Yuuichirou ... eh, Big Head... really has feelings for you and when you left everyone behind that day, he was really torn apart. On top of his love running away, his parents suddenly move out and leave him to live alone. He feels everyone that he truely cares about has left him in the dust." He stopped for a moment and took a breath. "He was worried about you everyday. He wondered where you were and how you were. It's been five years, and you couldn't imagine how many times he told me the story of your return to the Hikawa Temple." He smiled and stood up.  
  
"So what are you saying?" Rei asked. "That I should live here with him and just abandon Jaedite?!" She formed a fist. "He NEEDS me!"  
  
The butler walked slowly over to the door, turned the knob, and stood on the opposite site. "No. Just tell him you are thankful. You don't know how he feels. He really loves you, Rei. Tell him you are thankful. He loves you." With that, he closed the door behind him tightly and walked down the hallway.  
  
Rei stared out the window shortly after he left. It was just about lunchtime now and the silent breeze from the window was gentle and sweet. She eventually closed her eyes and let the smell of the tea fill the room. "Everything is messed up now. It's all gone. I've been running for five years and finally thought I was happy. Happy in the warmth of his arms. Now everything is messed up. Jaedite is captured. Ami is dead. Hotaru is held captive. Setsuna hasn't returned. Makoto is gone. And here I am. Staring out another window. I need to stop. I need to stop running. This isn't a movie anymore. This isn't just my sweet dream. I need to stop."  
  
As a tear rolled down her cheek, like a trigger, the door swung open and Yuuichirou stood in the doorway. "Rei. Lunch is almost ready," he said, making his way over to her. "Hey," he repeated, shaking her shoulder, "lunch is almost ready."  
  
Rei quickly wiped away her tears and nodded. "Okay."  
  
He sat down next to her. "You... you were crying, weren't you?"  
  
"No I wasn't..."  
  
"Yes you were!" Yuuichirou said and pushed her face to meet his; each hands were on her cheeks. "Why were you crying?" Once he saw Rei's hurt eyes, he quickly drew back, letting go of her face. "I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me."  
  
Rei shook her head. "No. Forget it. I'm fine." She stood up and brushed her damp hands on her yukata.  
  
"Um... thank you, Yuuichirou," she said as they walked down the hallway to the main lobby. She walked close enough to him to have her shoulder sleeve brush against his arm.  
  
"For what?" He asked, looking down at her.  
  
"For everything." She stopped and he turned around. "I'm sorry if I always treated you like nothing but a child or just a lovesick puppy. You were such a big help at the Temple. You did all your chores and you did them on time. You never complained and the Temple wasn't the same when you went on your short vacations." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "What I really mean to say is... I'm glad I met you."  
  
Yuuichirou stared at her, half in shock, half in denial. They stood there for a few seconds in silence; the heavy breeze zipped past them, blowing their hair. And when Rei hugged Yuuichirou quickly, he didn't even move. He just stood there with his hands gently stroking her back.  
  
---  
  
Lunch was a very quiet time that day. Rei ate politely and slowly, maybe thinking about everything that happened in the past three days and trying to soak up all the hurt and feelings. Yuuichirou would look up at her every once in a while; he could tell by the saddened look on her face that she wasn't happy. She had every right to be upset and depressed. He twirled around the salad in his plate and took tiny bites. 'Rei, why are you still here?'  
  
Rei sighed and took a bite from the salad. Yuuichirou dropped his chopsticks on the table. "I can't take this anymore, Rei!" He said, standing up from the table and making his way over to her.  
  
Rei looked up at him frightened and put her chopsticks down next to her plate. "...what?"  
  
"I can't take you moping around my house anymore!" He turned around her chair, faced it toward him, and he plopped his hands on the wooden chair next to her legs. He looked dead in her face, eyes pounding. "Rei! You know are you are dying to find out what happened to Ami and everyone else! Jaedite is waiting! So get outta here, go back to Scouts, and stop running away from your fears!"  
  
Rei sat back in her chair, half frightened and half in disbielf that Yuuichirou would actually yell at her. She saw the hurt in his eyes and realized what he was trying to do. ::He's not trying to kick to me... he's trying to get me to come to my scences...::  
  
He grabbed her shoulder tightly. "Rei! You can't waste anymore time. Go!"  
  
Rei stared at his sadden eyes and the butler inched closer to the exit door.  
  
---  
  
Makoto threw the keys to her apartment on the couch as she closed the door behind her. She stepped across the floor and walked over to the window, completely ignoring the blinking red light by her telephone. Frowning, she plopped down on the window sill and opened the window. She stared outside. "I can't believe... Usagi would do such a thing." Her eyes narrowed and filled with tears. "Because of that... Jaedite, Ami, Grandpa Hino, AND Kunzite have been taken. And we can't forget about little Hotaru..."  
  
After a few minutes of silence, Makoto stood up and turned around from the sunshined window and closed the shade. The apartment house went suddenly dark as she made her way to the couch, feeling around so she won't bump into any of the furniture. Sitting there, she reached over and pressed the button on the answering machine.  
  
"You have nine new messages. To play your messages, press one...," Makoto reached over and pressed the key, sat back in the couch with her eyes closed, and listened to the robotic voice, not really paying attention to the date and time.  
  
"_Message One_: Mako? --sigh-- Mako, please pick up. .... I'll try again later.."  
"_Message Two_: Makoto! Pick uppp!!! --groan-- Come on, Makoto!! ...."  
"_Message Three_...:  
  
Makoto closed her eyes and tuned out the voices of Usagi until she heard a different voice.  
  
"_Message Seven_: Hi Makoto. Um... It's Rei. I just wanted to tell you... I'm safe and sound. So is everyone else. Well, except Ami and Hotaru. I think you already know that but.. um... Jaedite says he's sorry. Sorry about everything. About your lose and what not. sigh Just call me back when you can. I doupt you will, so I won't wait around for it..."  
  
She sat up in her chair and faced the answering machine. The tape kept playing.  
  
"_Message Eight_: Makoto? It's me, Minako. Where are you? If anyone is worried about you, it's me. I'm sorry you got caught up in everything. ...you probably know about what Usagi did. She's sorry. Please come back and fight. Oh, and don't tell Rei. ...Bye."  
  
"_Message nine_: Sailor Jupiter, why did you talk to me like crap earilier today? And after all I've done for you! Killing Kunzite was one of the best things that happened in your life, so don't deny the happiness. Hehe. I love messing with your heart. I have your loved ones... catch me if you can."  
  
Something in that message made Makoto smile. "Idiot... actually calling the enemy." She pressed the button a second time and walked back over to the window. "They want me to come back and fight." She closed her eyes. "Well I can't, even if I wanted to. They all deserve what they got. Each one of them. And Usagi... will be getting hers soon."  
  
She took a deep breath and rushed for her coat by the door. She quickly put it on. "Even if she IS sorry..."  
  
---  
  
Rei ran swiftly down the sidewalks of the deserted town, not stopping to look back at Yuuichirou mansion that was still in the vast distance. He might be standing there, watching her run, so she didn't want to look back. Her jeans brushed up against her legs and her raven colored hair flew behind her like a cape. And the only thing on her mind was to fight once again.  
  
It wasn't long before the rush of the traffic and bodies swept across the town, and Rei found herself dodging everything in her path. People would stop and yell for her to watch where she was going, but none of them would convince her enough to listen. She could've ran past Ami and wouldn't even stop. She wanted to do one thing: see Usagi.  
  
As she swiftly turned the corner, she found herself in a collision with a passing girl with a dark green woody. They both fell to the ground and groaned almost at the same time. "I'm sorry," Rei said looking at the girl from one eye; she rubbed her leg rapidly. "I was in rush to see- Makoto?!"  
  
Makoto opened one eye and looked at Rei. "Gosh, Rei! Have you gotten stronger-"  
  
"Mako! Where have you been?!" Rei asked, now standing up and helping her up.  
  
Makoto brushed off her pants and stood up, fixing her brown hair back into a ponytail. "That's none of your business." She looked at Rei's expression after saying so and sighed. "Well... where are you in such a hurry to?"  
  
"I was going to see Usagi. Something tells me she is linked up with everything!" Now she was shouting, and the passing people all stopped and stared. Makoto was silent for a while. She just stood there, pretending to fix her already pretty hair and then looked around. Rei's eyes widened and began to water. "You know something, don't you Makoto?!" When Makoto didn't answer, Rei jammed both fists to her sides. "Tell me!"  
  
Makoto closed her eyes and walked past Rei. "Don't go blaming your princess just yet, Rei. It seems to me you already forgot your place."  
  
Rei frowned and rushed in front of Makoto. She looked up at her with teary eyes. "And what place is that, Makoto? Huh? Being the one everyone stomps over and accuses my Jaedite of being a villan? Wake up! That was years ago!"  
  
"Your PLACE is pretecting Princess Serenity. Your place is BELOW her! So don't go pointing fingers at Usagi! You don't have a clue why what happened, happened!" With a shove to get Rei out of the way, Makoto continued to walk past her and disappeared into the crowd of people.  
  
Rei stood there, fists red and still jammed to her side. ::She's right,:: Rei thought. ::Everything she said was right. I AM just Princess Serenity's protector from the Silver Millenium. I AM just a warrior to keep her safe. No wonder no one can transform. We all seem to have ... lost sight of that.:: Rei sighed, quickly turned around, and continued to run. She didn't even notice Makoto who stopped and watched her disappear.


	15. Even if I Could

**Chapter Fourteen: Even if I Could**  
  
_Even if I could . . . I would not fight back . . .  
_  
---  
  
Rei bounced up the stairs to the familiar house of her once lovable and trusting friend. She banged on the peach colored door a couple of times and waited. Inside, two figures chased after a girl and the door suddenly swung open. "I'm going to the movies whether you like it or not!" Chibiusa screamed at Usagi as she waved her fist in the doorway. Mamoru stood behind her and was shaking his head.  
  
"Well... don't be long, you brat!" Usagi yelled back at her as Chibiusa darted down the street. She sighed and rested her hands on her hips. "Teenagers. Tut." While Usagi walked back inside, completely ignoring Rei who stood right by the door, she murmured curses under her breath. Rei giggled and folded her arms.  
  
"Rei...? What are you doing here?" Mamoru asked when he finally noticed the girl standing on the porch.  
  
"Did I come at a bad time?" She asked smartly, taking a step closer to the man. She faced him now, eyes narrowed and staring into his.  
  
Mamoru drew back. "What do you want?"  
  
"I came to talk to Usagi," she said, walking past him and into the doorway. "Not to talk to some fallen mage who throws roses."  
  
Mamoru frowned and blocked the entrance. "For that comment, you can't. Usagi doesn't want to be bothered with the likes of you, so it's best you leave."  
  
"I'm not leaving until I get what I came for!" Rei screamed back at him.  
  
"No. Now leave. You are not welcome here."  
  
And Rei could hear herself, as plain as day, say the same thing to them that night she came home and found them sitting in her apartment house. ::You are not welcome here.:: Now she frowned and did what Usagi should have done weeks ago. She pushed Mamoru out of the way and burst through the door. "USAGI!"  
  
When the blonde stepped into the living room from the kitchen with a butter knife in her hand, she frowned. "Mamo-chan, please get that witch out of my house." She had her hair done in the same way she had five years ago: pulled up in two buns with the ends falling out like ribbons.  
  
Rei stomped closer to her. "That's right, Mamoru. Get Usagi out of the house."  
  
Usagi frowned, cursed at her, and threw the knife across the room. It stopped, dead in front of Rei's face, hovering there in the air. Rei frowned, and it burst into flames. The ashes danced slowly to the waxed wooden floor. "Wanna try that again?"  
  
Usagi turned a bright red and made a fist. "You won't get away with this, Rei!" She held up her hand. "Moon Crisis Power!" There was silence. Usagi stood there, her hand now squivering as it reached to the ceiling. Her face went pale and her pink glossed lips began to shake. "Moon Crisis Power!"  
  
Nothing. Her eyes began to tear as her vision blurred and stared angerly at the raven haired girl who stood in front of her, shaking her head. She closed her eyes and screamed her transformation. "MOON CRISIS POWER!"  
  
Luna now entered the room, her eyes wandering from person to person. The ashes on the ground, the calm Rei, and the furious Usagi who still stood with her hand in the air. "What is going on here?!" Luna asked as she stepped closer to the blonde girl. Usagi fell to her knees and her hands shook with anger, her eyes in disbelief. "Rei...?"  
  
Rei didn't look at the cat, who gently stepped across the floor with hurt eyes. Ever since Rei left them, everyone's eyes seemed hurt and cold. Just like Ami's. "Luna."  
  
"What happened here?" She asked, observing the ashes that fell to Rei's feet.  
  
Rei didn't answer, just stared at Usagi who sat on her knees with tears rolling down her cheeks. She stared at the floor. "Moon.. Crisis Power..."  
  
It wasn't long before Luna had Rei sitting on the couch across Mamoru and Usagi, who had fully recovered from the shock of the moment. Luna sat on the table with her eyes closed. Not saying a word, Rei sat with her hands on her lap, gently pressing on the sugar pink colored skirt she wore. When Luna felt everyone was calm, she began to talk. "Rei, please explain to me what you are doing here."  
  
"I came to see Usagi," Rei said simply.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"What? I can't see her anymore?" Rei asked with tone. She snapped her eyes at the cat who hung her head. She continued. "I came because I felt Usagi had to do with all the incidents that have recently accured."  
  
Usagi frowned and made a fist. Before she could yell out something, Luna had pressed her paw on her bare legs. "Now Usagi, let Rei finish her story. You will have your turn."  
  
Usagi nodded, sat back in the chair with her arms folded, and closed her eyes. There is no way possible to disobey the guardian of the moon, animal or not. Luna had the intelligence of Ami, so she didn't speak for just the fun of it. She always made a point. "Rei, what do you mean Usagi had to do something with this?"  
  
Rei pulled out the note that was left in her apartment. Without saying a word, she tossed it on the table in front of Luna. The cat pawed the note open, which was about her size, and she began to read to herself. When her eyes began to quiver, Rei could tell which part she came across. Ami's death.  
  
Luna didn't speak right away. She read the note a second time and then cleared her throat. "Just because... it says 'your-so-called friend has helped with this discovery' does not mean Usagi is the one in charge. As for Ami..." she closed her eyes.  
  
Usagi continued to pretend she wasn't listening. If she was not already informed of Ami's death, she would have broken out in tears by now, Rei thought as she observed her. She must have known already. Luna shook the tears away from her eyes. "I don't know what to say, Rei. It was very rude to burst in here is all I can tell you. It would be lovely if you could appologize to Usagi and Mamoru and leave quietly."  
  
"She's the one who should be appologizing to me," Rei said, standing up and pointing to the ashes on the floor. "If I still didn't have my fighting spirit, I would be dead right now."  
  
At that statement, Luna quickly snapped her head toward Usagi. She had her eyes open now, just narrowed and glaring at the pillow she sat next to. "Usagi ... is this true?"  
  
"She had no right bursting through my house and shooting comments every which way!" Usagi yelled at the cat, standing up now. "No matter how upset she was! I'm the Princess of the Moon and I deserve some respect!"  
  
And suddenly, the windows of the living room burst open, the glass hovering in the air before crashing to the ground. Rei quickly jumped over the couch from her position and hid behind it; the pieces of glass shooting overhead. Mamoru had grabbed Usagi, spun her around, and hugged her away from the blast. An evil laugh came from outside in the front yard and two wolves appeared in the open space. "Come out and fight, Sailor Senshi. I know you are in there."  
  
This voice was too familiar to just gasp and be surprised at. It was only until they actually saw it, when the chills rolled down their spin. Standing outside, hoving now in midair stood Super Sailor Mercury. Her arms were out to both her sides and ice crystals in both her palms. The wolves growled furiously as the four approached the battle field. Rei stood in disbelief, but Usagi was in tears, gripping Mamoru's arm and standing behind him. "Sailor ... Mercury?!"  
  
"But.. isn't she.. dead?"  
  
Sailor Mercury grinned. "Well well. I see Jupiter isn't here. What a shame. She's the one I came for."  
  
Now, Rei took a step forward toward the hovering Senshi. "Ami! What have you become?!"  
  
Sailor Mercury looked down at Rei. Her eyes pupils were a jet blue, watching the color of her hair. "Ami? Ha. That Ami girl is dead. I am simply borrowing her body." She grinned.  
  
"Borrowing?"  
  
Sailor Mercury turned her attention to the blonde girl who now squealed and hid behind Mamoru again. "Yes, Sailor Moon. Borrowing." Sailor Mercury twirled around then posed. "Isn't it lovely? This Ami person doesn't have such a bad shape..."  
  
As she admired her new body, Rei held out her hand. "What are you here for?"  
  
"Didn't I already say?" Sailor Mercury said. "I came for Sailor Jupiter and she not here." She thought. "Hmm.. well I guess I could just tell you my evil yet genius plot." She twirled around again, the blue ribbons behind her followed. "I need more Senshi Crystals and what better why to do that then be a Senshi? You all love each other sooo much and even if you had magic, you wouldn't dare fight against your loved one. Keke."  
  
"That's so cruel!" Luna shouted back from the doorway. "You won't get away with this!"  
  
Sailor Mercury frowned and held out her hand. Water and ice appeared in her fingertips. "Mercury Gasp!" The small and simple water attack flew across the air and pounded the cat into the nearest wall. She giggled and another water attack formed in her fist. "Keke. That was fun!"  
  
"Such a childish nature," Rei thought, watching as Luna struggled to stand up. "This can not be the real Ami."  
  
Usagi gasped and now let go of Mamoru. "How dare you hurt Luna! Moon Crisis Power!" Suddenly, Usagi was covered in a soft, pink light. It outlined her body for a few seconds, then disappeared. "What the...?"  
  
Rei stared wide eyed at Usagi, who stood searching her body for that light. "The transformation... reacted to her heart..." Now, Rei held out her hand and scroll formed in her grip. "Come on, Sailor Mercury! If you want a fight, I'll give it to ya!"  
  
Sailor Mercury spun around, smiled, and motioned for the wolves to step up. "Get 'er!"  
  
With one command, the wolves lept forward and dived at Rei. She dodged their fangs and spun around. "Aku Ryo Tai Sen!"  
  
The fire attack emerged from the scroll and shot into the body of the wolf. It groaned and then recovered it's balance. Sailor Mercury laughed. "Keke. You just can't stop my wolf's power! If you were a Senshi, that would all change!"  
  
Rei frowned and ran toward Sailor Mercury. "I AM a Senshi! Aku Ryo Tai Sen!"  
  
Usagi screamed. "NO REI!"  
  
The blue haired Mercury just stood in her spot and let the attack hit her. It burned the tip of her shoulder and the top of her left arm. Rei grinned. Suddenly, blood shot out from Rei's shoulder and left arm. She groaned and knealt down. "What the...?"  
  
Sailor Mercury laughed again. "When you get hit, I get hit. When I get hit, you get hit."  
  
Rei stood up now, still holding onto her shoulder. She eyed the blonde girl who stood yards behind her. She was now shouting orders. "Rei! You can't attack her! You'll get hurt also!"  
  
Rei turned around fully and frowned. "I know that now, Meatball Head!"  
  
Something in that conversation made Luna smile. "They both haven't lost their teamwork spirit. Maybe... the transformation will react to their hearts, like earilier." She studied Rei who still had a Ofruda Scroll planted in her grip. "Rei is able to use simple fire magic because she has some heart left. Her fighting spirit still exists."  
  
Rei now let go of her shoulder. The blood dripped down her arm and onto her plaid skirt. "I'm not gonna give up! I have to find and save everyone!" Jaedite's face seemed to flash through her eyes. The days before all the struggle. The days when she was missing. And the day he left her, when Yuuichirou finally admitted his feelings. She ran up to Sailor Mercury and jumped into the air. "Stay out of my way!" She threw the scroll at her, one after another. They magically appeared in her grip at her command. After the first five, only one hit. It ripped Sailor Mercury's brooch and the ribbons fell to her feet. Rei's shirt front was also torn, slightly revealing the black laced bra she wore underneath.  
  
Both girls stayed in their position, a smile growing wider on Sailor Mercury's face. "Well. Rei here doesn't know when to quit. That will get you killed. Keke."  
  
Rei stood straight up now. When she recovered from the rush of the attack, she spun around and faced Usagi. "Usagi. Go to safer grounds. Now."  
  
"And why should I?! You aren't the boss of me, Rei!" Usagi screamed back. "Ami is my friend, too, I deserve to know more about this!"  
  
Rei hung her head and turned back around. "Usagi. You are still stubborn. Some things... will never change." Now, Rei took a step closer to Sailor Mercury, who sat hovering in the air. Everything looked just like Ami. Her hair, her figure, her cold eyes. The only thing that a different was the playfulness in her voice. It was so unfamiliar. It completely ruined the whole style of the Genius Girl, Mercury. Completely trashed the style. Everything. Even the outfit and the VR Goggles that was worn by this puppet just all seemed fake, all because of its voice and attitude.  
  
Ami Mizuno was a serious girl who thought boys, fun, and play all came second to school work. Homework, good grades, study time, all of that was Number One in Ami's book. She often smiled and her voice was gentle, but behind the glasses of that bookworm was the powerful Sailor Mercury. The Genuis. The one with all the answers. And now, this child in her body faces the scouts with one hope of wining just to make a point. Just to grab the Jupiter Crystal that was dead inside Makoto's heart now. Like everything else in the world.  
  
It was now when Rei let go of the Ofruda Scroll and it crashed and emerged in flames as it hit the floor, like a time bomb. She had a smile to her voice. "I'm eager to fight against the true beings of Silver Maiden's Warriors, and not against a puppet who controls my good friend. So show your true form. I won't fight against my friend, body or not. She is still there behind that puppet." Rei's voice grew softer. "Even if I could... I wouldn't fight back."  
  
Sailor Mercury laughed evilly. "HA! I will never show my true form! Not until I grab and hold all the Senshi Crystals in my palm!" She twirled around and a wall of water spun rapidly up to her head. It twirled and glistened in ribbons around her body and she held her hand in front of her. "Mercury Aqua Mirage!"  
  
Rei stood where she was, gasping in her mind as the familiar attack of Ami's spun toward her. And she wasn't ready to scream until it killed her. She closed her eyes. But that didn't happen. There was silence and she awaited for the wall of water to pound into her body. It never came. '...am I... dead?' When she opened one eye, the world seemed to spin around her and when her vision finally became clear, Yuuichirou's face met hers. "Yuuichirou!?"  
  
He stood in front of her with his arms held out to his sides and was soaking wet. He grinned as he pulled a round object from his pocket. "You forgot... your communicator at my house." And when he said so, he closed his eyes and fell forward into Rei's arms. She gasped and caught him then fell to her knees. "Yuuichirou! ....you idiot."  
  
Usagi frowned from Yuuichirou to Sailor Mercury and let go of Mamoru's arms. "You will pay dearly for that!" She ran up to Sailor Mercury, jumped into the air, and threw a punch at her. Mercury easily dodged the punch and caught Usagi by her wrist.  
  
"Stay out of this, blondy!" Sailor Mercury groaned and threw Usagi to the ground. She landed on her back and Mamoru instantly ran to her side.  
  
"USAKO!"  
  
Rei continued to shake Yuuichirou. She could feel the fear and heat rising to her head. "Yuuichirou! Come on, wake up! Come on...!"  
  
Now, the two wolves stood in front of Sailor Mercury. She laughed. "Get 'um, Reiku! Kill 'um fast!" And as the grey wolve lept toward Rei, a cry of an attack was heard from the far left. It was oh too familiar to not get everyone's head turning to see.  
  
"Uranus World Shaking!"  
  
The yellow-orange planet shaped attack skimmed across the ground, tearing up everything in its path, and pounded into the body of the wolf just before it clawed onto Rei. She quickly turned away and guarded Yuuichirou the best she could from the sudden explosion. Then as Sailor Mercury cursed and threw her attention to the direction of the attack, Rei looked up to see three slender figures standing atop the roof of the nearest building, which wasn't too high up. Sailor Mercury frowned. "Why you... Who are you?!"  
  
The voices of the three were serious and heroic, and you can instantly tell what gender. "I'm Sailor Uranus, the flying warrior, protected by planet Uranus!"  
  
The girl whose back was against Sailor Uranus' opened her eyes and her flipped her green hair. "I'm Sailor Neptune! Protected by the planet Neptune!"  
  
"And I'm Sailor Pluto! The evolution warrior, protected by planet Pluto!" Said the last, whose hair was a dark green and long, flowing longer than Rei's.  
  
"We are here to help our friends."  
  
"Together we're a mighty force! And we will punish you!"  
  
Sailor Mercury groaned and drew back. "Damn... they got reinforcements. And these women can actually USE magic.."  
  
Now, Sailor Uranus held out her tailsmen, the Space Sword. "Hey! Puppet in the Senshi Suit!" She frowned. "Where is Hotaru?! You better tell us or we'll have to fight you for her!"  
  
Sailor Mercury frowned now. "Puppet?" Water formed in her fists. "Come and get it, girls!" She twirled around and water spun up her arm to her hand. "Mercury Gasp!"  
  
As the ice attack zipped through the air, Sailor Neptune jumped from the roof. "Neptune Deep Submerge!" The water attack flew through the air and collided with the other water based attack that belonged to Mercury. When both attacks met, it caused a cooling effect, from the Mercury Gasp of course, and an icy fog filled the air. When it finally cleared, the Outer Senshi only stared at the empty field and the two pairs that tried their hardest to bring the other to life.  
  
---  
  
"OUCH! Can't you be more gentle, Mamo-chan!!"  
  
Rei covered her ears as Usagi continued to wail and scream as Mamoru tried to clean the cuts on her back and arms. Most of her injury were bruises (Remember, they were fighting on the soft loan.), but some cuts from the steep fall here and there. Setsuna frowned when Rei moved her arm. "Rei! Stay still!"  
  
"Oops! Sorry, Setsuna!" Rei said, laughing it off.  
  
It was shortly after the fight, in Setsuna's living room, when all the screaming and crying began. Setsuna kindly offered her home to the girls to rest and cover their wounds from the battle shortly before. Haruka sat on the windowsil and stared at the sky the whole time. She doesn't treat any wounds; even if you could she wouldn't. The only thing her heart cares for is being strong enough to protect those she loves. Her short, manly cut blonde hair fell behind her ears and she hooked it back again, slowly touching her earring.  
  
Michiru now stepped through the kitchen door and entered the living room of the house. She carried a tray of hot green tea and pound cake on the side. "Here you are, everyone. This will make the pain go away," she said as she gently set the tray on the table next to the group. Usagi quickly turned with wet lips.  
  
"YUM! TEA!" She quickly grabbed the cup nearest to her and gulped it down.  
  
"Wait, Usagi! It's still-"  
  
"AHH!! HOOOTTT!!" Usagi screamed and coughed on the tea as it drained down her throat.  
  
Michiru giggled and shook her head, her green curly hair bouncing to match the stride. "I tried to tell you, Usagi."  
  
Rei nodded, motioned for Setsuna to stop, and she grabbed a cup of tea. Before she took a sip, she blew on it. "Gosh, Usagi. You need to stop being in such a hurry all the time."  
  
"Oh, hush, Rei!" She said, sticking her tongue out.  
  
Rei laughed and stuck her tongue back at her. Mamoru couldn't help but smile. "That's what I like to see. True friendship again-"  
  
"Please, Mamo-chan! Rei and I still have a score to settle!"  
  
Rei shook her head and chringed as Setsuna added the bandages to her arm and shoulder. "There you are, Rei. All done."  
  
Rei smiled and sat around in the chair, facing everyone else and table. "Thank you, Suna-chan. Normally, Ami would tend to my wounds, but I don't mind splitting the job."  
  
Setsuna nodded but didn't smile. She just walked from the room and out into the hallway. Haruka turned her head to see. "Setsuna..."  
  
Rei sighed and looked at Michiru who sat down beside her. "Michiru... did I say something wrong?"  
  
Michiru took a sip from her tea and shook her head. "Setsuna is going through a lot right now. Just give her some time. It's not everyday when she's rushing back to Pluto to inform the kingdom of the news. You know, Rei, Setsuna raised Hotaru from her very rebirth. She grew attached to that child, no matter what dark secret Hotaru holds inside her."  
  
Rei nodded. It's true. Hotaru Tomoe is cursed with the destiny of Sailor Saturn. A curse, as in a bad thing or a good thing, is unknown. She has the power to destroy a planet, which can simply mean tragity, but that also brings hope and rebirth. To start everything over from the beginning can be a blessing. To clense even the darkest spirits is a miracle.  
  
That little girl used to wander the world with a tainted and confused heart, until Sailor Moon saved her and she was reborn with the Saturn Emblem on her forehead. Since that day, the Outer Senshi left to care for the baby Hotaru. They only informed her of her duties as a Senshi in her later childhood years. Ever since, there were moments when her eyes are playful and gentle, and others when they are pitch black and fulled with sorrow.  
  
It wasn't long now when Setsuna appeared in the doorway again. "Rei. Yuuichirou is awake and asking for you."  
  
Rei nodded, set her cup down on the tray, and walked out of the room. She followed Setsuna down the hallway and into the huge bedroom where Yuuichirou lay in bed. Setsuna nodded when Yuuichirou faced her and left, closing the door behind her. Rei inched over to Yuuichirou and sat on the bed. "I see you're awake. How do you feel?"  
  
Yuuichirou grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Are you okay?"  
  
Rei showed him the bandage on her shoulder and arm. "That's it. I'm fine. Thanks to you." She looked at him. "...I don't think I thanked you yet." Yuuichirou stared at her, then iched up in bed. Rei tried to stop him. "Don't strain yourself, Yuuichirou! You haven't fully recovered yet."  
  
He sat up straight anyway. "I'm fine now." He pulled out the communicator from his pocket and placed it in Rei's palm. "You left this at my house. I thought you might need it." When Rei didn't answer, just stared at the communicator that rest in her palm, then he continued. "Because of that thing," he began with a smile in his voice, "I almost got killed just trying to give it to you."  
  
Now Rei frowned and gripped the communicator in her grip. "You IDIOT! This stupid communicator is not worth your life! What were you thinking?!"  
  
"I just wanted to-"  
  
"NO Yuuichirou! It's completely meaningless to me!" She threw the communicator across the floor and it hit the wall to just prove her point.  
  
Yuuichirou sighed. "Aww Rei. Now you go and throw it...? I just risked my life for that sh-"  
  
He stopped suddenly when Rei grabbed onto his shirt front and pressed her forehead against his chest. "I don't care about that stupid computer, Yuuichirou! I care about you and your safety! Don't you EVER do a stupid thing like that again!"  
  
She was crying now, choking on her words as she gripped tighter on his shirt. Yuuichirou sighed and patted her back. "Rei... I didn't mean for you to cry... I'm sorry..."  
  
---  
  
It was sundown now, and everyone was getting restless. When Chibiusa came home to house with broken windows, she instantly used her communicator to contact Usagi. When she learned that Usagi was staying by Setsuna's, Chibiusa jumped for joy and in four minutes, appeared on the doorstep of the house. When Haruka opened the door to greet her, Chibiusa tackled her into a hug. The same welcome was passed around to everyone, except Yuuichirou, who was still sore from the battle.  
  
When Setsuna passed the living room with a mug in her hand, she looked into the room. Usagi, Mamoru, Michiru, and Haruka sat on the floor with Chibiusa, surrounded by a board game that Setsuna discovered to be Monopoly, Haruka's least favorite game. After the sound of a roll, the moving of a piece, and a loud yelp, Chibiusa stood up and danced. "YES! Pay up, Haruka!!"  
  
Haruka groaned, grabbed a handful of money, and stuffed it across the board. "Man, I hate this game..." she mumbled under her breath.  
  
Michiru punched her shoulder after she rolled the dice. "Only because you never win!" And at that moment, Michiru moved her piece and did that same cheer as Chibiusa. "YES! Of COURSE I'll buy Boardwalk!!"  
  
Haruka sighed and sat back. "Agh. I give up!" Everyone burst into a laughter and after they all nudged her, did Haruka finally smile and manage a short laugh. Setsuna smiled, entered the kitchen and filled her mug up again with tea. Then she walked back through the hallway, glanced into the living room to see Michiru still doing her victory dance, and went back up the stairs to meet her computer.  
  
As for Rei, she was outside with Yuuichirou, who was leaning on the railing of the fence in the front. Rei stood in front of him. "Are you sure you'll get home safe?" She asked, ignoring the loud yells of laughter from the living room window.  
  
He opened his eyes. "Yup. I'll be fine." Then he leaned off the railing. "...where will YOU stay?"  
  
"I'm spending the night here with Setsuna. So is Chibiusa, Usagi, and Mamoru. I'm staying here, because Setsuna feels she owes it to me. You know, when her and Hotaru came to Tokyo, they spent the night with Jaedite and I. As for Usagi and them, it's because of their house."  
  
"Oh," Yuuichirou said, disappointed. He turned and opened the gate. "Well, you know where I'll be. Stop by and visit some time, Rei." He looked at her, facing her now. They stood in silence for a few seconds, and after nothing happened, he turned and walked from the gate. "Oh," he said, facing her again. "Thanks for the treatment. I won't be such an idiot next time." His last words had a wink to it as he continued to saunter down the sidewalk and was eventually out of sight.  
  
Rei looked at the sky. "It's a full moon... no wonder I'm feeling this way."

* * *

o.o  
  
Wow. 4612 words. What a long chapter. New record for me! Keke. Review!! 


	16. Night Shift

**Chapter Fifteen: Night Shift**  
  
Rei walked back into the house and gently closed the door behind her. She sauntered into the living room and sat on the couch, watching as Usagi moved her piece across the board. It wasn't long before Michiru looked up at Rei from her position on the floor. "Yuuichirou left?"  
  
"Yeah," Rei said simply. She leaned her cheek on her palm and watched as Michiru shrugged and continued her game. She watched for a straight half hour and when the game slowly came to an end, due to the fact the only people left with money were Chibiusa, Michiru, and Mamoru, she grew bored of the group, stepped up and left the room. "I wonder where Setsuna is," she said, holding onto the smooth, wooden railing that carried her up the stairs.  
  
She looked around and peeked through some of the bedrooms until she found Setsuna in the far end of the hallway. Rei only leaned in the doorway behind the half open door and watched. Setsuna was on her computer and she stared at the screen, reading. Michiru once mentioned that Setsuna is always on the computer, whenever she gets the chance. As the Senshi of Pluto, she enjoys her quiet time. She favors being alone, and the computer, to her, is her escape from the world.  
  
'Such sad eyes,' Rei thought as she studied her. 'They remind me of Hotaru's eyes...' As if hearing her speak, Setsuna looked up from her computer. "Rei? May I help you?"  
  
Rei shook her head. "May I come in?"  
  
Setsuna nodded and motioned for her to grab a chair. Rei did, and sat beside her. She now looked at the computer. It was the website Ami made strictly for the Sailor Senshi. You need a password to enter, so anyone who visits that isn't a Senshi, can not enter. It was filled with battle records, profiles and full history on each enemy they had so far. Except there was no data on their newest enemy, because Ami disappeared on the very first night of the encounter. But, Ami DID make a note on the Note Page about the crater that mysteriously formed in the middle of Downtown Tokyo. Rei only remembers it as the time she say the Senshi for the first time in years.  
  
Rei inched forward in her chair. Setsuna was scanning all the past enemies. Full profiles. Pages and pages and long data on each enemy. Like a biography. Ami really collected a lot of data. Rei was impressed.  
  
She had her avatar in the notes page. Everytime she made a new discovery, she made the note on the Notes Page and put her avatar next to it. Also on that page was Setsuna's avatar, Minako's avatar, and Makoto's avatar from the past battles. If anyone wanted to put a note on the website, they logged in, typed the note, and placed their personal avatar next to it to identify who made that note.  
  
As if reading her mind, Setsuna spoke. "I'm looking for data or notes on anything about this new enemy. I'm surprised, really. Ami put some notes down about it. But..." she pointed to the screen. "Usagi put some too. I don't know where she got this information, but it could be useful."  
  
Rei nodded only to satisify Setsuna. She already had a feeling that Usagi knew about this incident far before Rei did, but she didn't have any evidence. Maybe Usagi isn't responsible for this incident. But somehow, it keeps coming back to that. And she doesn't know why.  
  
When Setsuna added more notes about the enemy, she began to make a seperate page. All the other biographies had Ami's avatar in the beginning stating, "Biography made by Sailor Mercury", but now, Setsuna put hers and stated, "Biography made by Sailor Pluto". 'Finally,' Rei thought, 'a different picture.' She giggled and Setsuna smiled. She thought the same thing.  
  
When Setsuna was finished adding pictures of the wolves and a snap shot of the puppet Sailor Mercury, (thanks to Michiru's Deep Aqua Mirror) she ended up with 8 Kbs of information. Must of it was describing the wolves, Rei's experience with them, and the fight earilier. Setsuna came to the conclusion that the wolves' power must come from the Sailor Crystal and that they appeared right after Hotaru ran away. It could be possible, even though Setsuna didn't want to believe it, that Hotaru's crystal was taken and used to grab Mercury's. "It could be possible," Setsuna said with worried eyes.  
  
And Rei knew it could be. The Crystals make the wolves stronger and now it was proven. Setsuna sighed and rested her face in her palms. Rei patted her back. "Rest your eyes and call it a night, Setsuna."  
  
Setsuna nodded and Rei stood up and left. She walked down the stairs and turned the corner again. Everyone was cleaning up the game and Rei walked into the living room. "Who won?"  
  
"Michiru," Chibiusa said with a smile.  
  
"It was a close game," Michiru said, looking up from putting the money away. Everyone looked tired. And they should be. They were playing that game for atleast two hours or so. Haruka looked the most tired; she was sitting on the windowsil again. Rei guessed she must have gotten bored of watching them play once she was out.  
  
Haruka stood up now and stretched. "My dice was jipped," she said with a tease.  
  
Michiru laughed and rested her head on Haruka's shoulder. "Let's show them to their rooms so we can sleep, 'kay Haruka?"  
  
She nodded. "Alright."  
  
Everyone nodded and Usagi instantly jumped up. "Okay! But I get the biggest room!"  
  
Chibiusa frowned and chased her up the stairs. "NO! We are going to share!"  
  
Rei followed Haruka and the rest up to the second floor of the house. Setsuna now came out of the computer room, rubbing her eyes. "Tired, Setsuna?" Michiru asked, putting her hand on her shoulder.  
  
Setsuna nodded and yawned. "I'm going to take a nice hot shower." She walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. 'Poor Setsuna', Rei thought as she watched her. 'She is going through a lot right now, just like Michi-chan said.' After Michiru's worried look followed a smile. "Let's get to your rooms now."  
  
---  
  
Rei sat up in bed late that night, about 3 a.m. Her door was closed and the room was pitch black. She would have turned on the light, but her eyes were not yet adjusted to the darkness; all except the yellow strip of light on the bottom of door from the nightlight in the bathroom, that was right across from her room. She made her way to the door now, only wearing a long t-shirt, similiar to the one Setsuna wore. Rei opened the door slowly and walked out of the room. She made her way down the hallway.  
  
The first stop was Michiru and Haruka's room. They slept together in the same king sized bed on the far end of the room. Michiru's hair was pulled back into a ribbon, similiar to Rei's hair, that was in a ponytail. Michiru and Haruka faced each other, eyes closed, and they snuggled close. She looked at Michiru. She must be dreaming about a violin recital; she was smiling and lost in her dream. Haruka's face was different though, peaceful. And for the first time in a while, did she look like a woman. Maybe it was because Rei hadn't seen her in a while.  
  
Their room was decorated in a creamy white color; rose petals were painted on the walls, but there weren't many, just enough to add the romantic touch to the room. There was a candle lit in the far end of the room on the table next to the Deep Aqua Mirror. Now the room smelled like roses. Rei could instantly tell whose idea the candle was: Michiru's.  
  
She smiled at the couple and continued down the hallway. Next stop was Usagi's room. She opened the door wider and looked inside. Usagi was sleeping on the right, Mamoru on the left, and Chibiusa stuck in the middle. It was a huge king sized bed. It looked bigger than Michiru's and Haruka's. And looking at the group was the most cutest thing Rei had ever seen.  
  
Usagi's hair was loose and curly. She laid on her side facing her daughter who slept the same way: hair out and curly; Mamoru slept on his back with his hands on his stomach. The bed covers were a soft pink color and there were two pillows; Usagi and Chibiusa shared. The pillows themselves were a creamy white color and trimmed with white lace. As for the walls, they were a soft pink. Rei giggled to herself. 'I wonder what Mamoru's first impression was.'  
  
Now, Chibiusa yawned and opened her eyes. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, then looked over to the doorway. When she saw Rei, she waved and smiled. Rei waved back, mouthed Good-night, and closed the door again. She looked between the crack and could see Chibiusa switch position and cuddle against Mamoru. He smiled, kept his eyes closed, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.  
  
Finally, the last stop. Setsuna's room. Rei looked inside. No Setsuna. The covers were still messy, so she must have recently gotten up. Maybe doing the same as Rei? Checking on everyone? She turned around. Nope. She wasn't there. Rei looked into the computer room. It was dark. No Setsuna. Only one more explination: the kitchen.  
  
Rei bounced down the stairs and spun around the corner, almost slidding on the smooth waxed floor. She walked into the kitchen and shaded her brow from the light. Setsuna was sitting at the table on her laptop with a cup of tea next to it. She looked up instantly. "Rei? Is something wrong?"  
  
Rei shook her head and sat down across from her. "No. I was just... walking to the bathroom and noticed you weren't in your room. Is everything okay?"  
  
Setsuna didn't say yes, didn't say no. She just pointed to her laptop. "Just doing research for the site." She looked at Rei who yawned now. "Do you want some tea?"  
  
Rei nodded. "Please?" Setsuna stood up, smiled, and made her way to the counter. She took out a pack of tea, put hot water in a mug, and walked to the other side of the counter.  
  
Rei yawned again and looked around the room. "Setsuna...?" Setsuna looked up from the mug. "Why are you down here so late? I thought you were tired."  
  
"I am," she said and went back to work with the tea. "But finding Hotaru and Ami comes first. Sleep and rest, second."  
  
"That's not what Ami would say," Rei said.  
  
Setsuna turned around. "And what would Ami say?"  
  
Rei thought. "She would say... 'Finding your friends is very important, just like their lives. But you must take care of yourself in order to. If something happened to you, how could you protect and save them?' "  
  
Setsuna didn't speak, just turned and put the mug in the mircowave. She then sat down at the table and went back to work. It was silent for a minute, all until the tea was ready and the microwave went off. Setsuna got up and retrieved it for her. "Here. It's hot, so don't be like Usagi."  
  
Rei knew she met it as a tease, but when you are tired and worried, it's hard to get emotions across. Rei just smiled and took the mug, blowing off the top and stirring it around. The two were silent, just the sipping from the tea and the fast clicking of the computer keys. Rei studied Setsuna, who was too lost in her world to notices Rei's stares. She looked peaceful, yet worried at the same time. She skimmed past the keys, typing about 80 words a minute, and every once in a while, she would smile. Maybe chatting with a friend of hers online?  
  
And watching Setsuna, Rei only thought of Hotaru. She could picture it now: Hotaru knealing on the chair next to Setsuna and watching her work. Did they ever sit down here alone at night together and just be silent? 'I think they have...' Rei said, looking at Setsuna. She sighed every once in a while and stared at the empty seat next to her. 'Must have. She must really miss that kid.'  
  
Of course she misses her, Rei thought. Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka have lived together for years and they raised Hotaru from her very rebirth. Sure, she was a handful, but she was their daughter: they all were the parents. The ones resonsible. And loosing the child you took in and cared for can really tear you apart.  
  
Is that why Setsuna uses the Internet a lot? Rei thought and finished off her tea. 'Michiru once told me that the computer sort of calms Setsuna down and takes her mind off the pain. Is that why she comes down on countless nights to just be alone?'  
  
Once Rei finished studying the woman, she said her goodnights to Setsuna and went back upstairs.  
  
About ten minutes later, the door to Rei's opened slowly and Rei looked to the doorway. Setsuna smiled from the door. "Good night, Rei. And remember. If you don't rest, you can't take care of those you love for."  
  
Rei noticed the hurt in her eyes. Who knew Ami's small advice would have such an impact on poor Setsuna? Rei just smiled and watched her leave. Maybe she does know more about the world.  
  
---  
  
Rei suddenly shot up in bed. She found herself in her bedroom in Jaedite's apartment. She looked around, felt her arms and legs, and gasped. "I'm... home?"  
  
Soon, Jaedite appeared in the doorway with a toothpick in his mouth. "Morning Rei," he said, removing the toothpick and kissed Rei's cheek. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
Rei stared at him with wide eyes. "...Jaedite? What are you doing here? I thought... I thought Silver Maiden captured you!"  
  
"Who?" Jaedite asked, cocking an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Rei sat up in bed now, inching over to Jaedite. "Silver Maiden! I thought you left when Yuuichirou-"  
  
"Rei, Rei, calm down! I'm right here! I'm not captured." He grabbed her by the shoulders gently. "Everything's okay."  
  
Rei had a hard time believing this. Everything's okay? But that must mean... "Is Ami okay?!"  
  
Jaedite nodded and pointed over to the door. Ami stood in the doorway with a smile on her face. Her eyes were crystal blue and sparkled. No longer sad. They were just as they were six years ago: cheerful and full of spirit. This time, Ami had a textbook in her hand. "Rei! How come you aren't studying! There is NO time to sleep and make out when your College Education is at stake!"  
  
"College?" Rei asked, as Ami pulled her out of bed.  
  
"YES! You have to apply for College now! You are in your early twenties! You BETTER apply!"  
  
Rei smiled. That's the Ami she remembered. The Super Test Taker Ami. She now pulled her into the living room, which suddenly changed to Usagi's house. Jaedite was leaning against the wall with Mamoru as they laughed and joked around. Minako and Usagi sat on the couch by the table and waved. "Rei! Ami! Finally you guys are here! Come on! Let's study!" Minako said cheerfully.  
  
Now, the doorbell rang and Makoto walked through the doorway with Kunzite's arm around her waist. "Hey everyone! We're here!" Makoto said with a huge smile. She slightly blushed and gripped Kunzite's arm tighter.  
  
Kunzite held out a tray of cookies that were wrapped in a hot pink cover. "And we brought cookies!"  
  
"YAY!" Usagi said cheerfully and clapped her hands. Rei smiled widely and joined the rest of them. "Great! Cookies!!"  
  
Now, Chibusa popped through the door behind Kunzite. "Hi everyone! Sorry I'm late!" She bounced across the room and joined Usagi and grabbed a cookie.  
  
Rei smiled and they began to study, laughing and asking Ami everyone question in the book. She helped like always, and everything felt like it used to be. Usagi would squeal and cry if she got the answer the wrong, Rei would call her a name, and they would fight, bringing smiles on everyone's faces and laughs tagged along.  
  
Everything felt like it used to be. The way it should be.  
  
Then, Jaedite stood up and cleared his throat. "Everyone, I have an announcment." Everyone grew quiet and watched as he walked over to Rei, pulling a small box from his pocket. Mamoru nudged him in his shoulder and he smiled, showing Rei the velvet box with a red ribbon around it. He slowly opened it and all the girls gasped at the sight of the beautiful diamond ring that slept inside the box. "Oh my god!!" Minako screamed at the same time as Makoto. Their eyes sparkled as they continued to squeal.  
  
Rei's eyes widened as she stared at the ring that Jaedite opened to her. Now, he took her left hand in his. "Rei... will you marry me?"  
  
Then the room when silent. Rei could see Minako and Makoto smiled and nodding. She looked back at Jaedite and said, "Yes," but was surprised when the words did not leave her mouth. He contiued to wait and she began to panic. "YES!" She said, but nothing left her mouth.  
  
Suddenly, the windows burst open and two wolves appeared in the entrance, and standing above them floated a Senshi. She had dark purple eyes and her short black hair blew across her face. Dark energy circled around her body and everyone slowly began to fade. Rei gasped and held up her hand. "MARS CRYSTAL POWER!"  
  
And the familiar warmth of the flames surrounded her body and left her in her comfortable Sailor Suit. When her vision became clear, she could see all the Senshi lined up on the ground, dead, and what seemed like Crystals hovering over their chests. Sailor Saturn giggled and hovered in the air over them all.  
  
Sailor Mars frowned and fire formed in her fists. "GIVE THEIR LIVES BACK! Mars Flame Sniper!" And as the flaming arrow shot threw the air, what seemed like a water barrier blocked it. And standing in front of Sailor Saturn stood Sailor Neptune, Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Pluto. They all looked angerly at Rei and Sailor Saturn laughed.  
  
Then she woke up in a cold sweat.  
  
---  
  
Early that morning, Michiru yawned and opened her eyes. She moved Haruka's arm from on top of her and sat up in bed. Her digital clock read 6 a.m. Now, she quickly turned and shook Haruka. "Haruka. Haruka, wake up."  
  
Haruka groaned and opened her eyes. When her vision cleared up, she saw Michiru in front of her, smiling. Haruka smiled back. "Good morning."  
  
Michiru giggled and held Haruka sit up. "Wanna go outside on the balcony and watch the sunrise like we always do?"  
  
Haruka nodded. "Okay..." They both got up and threw on their yukatas; Michiru's was green and Haruka's was black. They opened the glass doors to the balcony that was just outside their bedroom.  
  
Michiru walked over to the railing and leaned on it, ignoring the chill of the new day. Her hair blew across her face and she hooked the locks back behind her ear. Now Haruka stood next to her and wrapped her arm around her waist. They both stared off into the distance, waiting for the sun to peek up behind the trees that lined the horizon. If you were to stand on top of the roof, which Haruka and Michiru have done before, you can see the ocean off in the distance. Sometimes, Michiru would sit on the roof and play her violin early in the morning, about 7 a.m., before everyone woke up. And if children were walking to school, she would still be up there, and they would all stand and listen.  
  
Haruka gently squeezed Michiru's waist as the sun began to rise. "Another day, Michi-chan. What is your wish for today?"  
  
Michiru thought, then closed her eyes. "I wish... that Yuuichirou got home safely and today will be more calm and peaceful."  
  
Haruka nodded and looked off to the distance. Now, the sun was sneeking up between the trees and the sunlight touched their house first. "I wish..." she thought. "...that we will overcome the struggles of today and find a way to win." Michiru didn't even change expression. Haruka always wished for strength and triumpth. And when Haruka noticed Michiru's silence, she continued. "...and that everyone will work out their problems and be friends again."  
  
"Do you really mean that?" Michiru asked, looking up at her.  
  
Haruka nodded. "Yesterday... was how everything was supposed to be. Except... everyone wasn't there to experience it."  
  
Now, Setsuna opened the glass doors and stepped behind them. "I knew you two would be here."  
  
They both turned around and Michiru smiled. "Setsuna, quickly. Make a wish before the sun touches the sky."  
  
Setsuna walked up to the balcony and closed her eyes. She could tell the two of them were staring at her. "I wish... we will find Hotaru and everyone will be happy today."  
  
Michiru held her Deep Aqua Mirror to the sky now and it glistened a dark green. "May our planets continue to bless us. And as impossible these wishes seem..." she closed her eyes, and so did the other two. "...grant them."

* * *

Hehe. Just a simple chapter to explain the feeling of the Outer Senshi home, and a dream of Rei's. Hope you liked. Review please!! 


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